Product originally named baby gays
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It was an easy shift for Gerstenzang in 1958, when he purchased a paper manufacturer. Q-tips® cotton swabs remain the market leader in the cotton swab category.
Introduced the Q-tips® cotton swabs Baby Pack.
Introduced Q-tips® Precision Tips™ cotton swabs.
Cotton Swabs: An Insight Into Their History
Cotton swabs—often called Q-tips®—are one of those everyday items that quietly live in bathroom drawers, makeup kits, first-aid cabinets, and lab benches.
The "Q" stood for quality. Next, he needed to guarantee the cotton would remain on the swab, and wouldn't leave residual particles within the ear. It’s actually just a brand name, most common in Canada and the U.S.
Although first made of wood, cotton swab spindles were later developed with rolled paper, which was safer and less likely to pierce ear tissue.
How cotton swabs went from 'Baby Gays' to 'Q-tips'
Soon after, Gerstenzang created the Leo Gerstenzang Infant Novelty Company for marketing purposes, and in hopes of launching a baby product line. Many people reach for one the moment they feel a wax blockage or itch. By the 1950s, cotton swabs were everywhere—makeup counters, film sets, and household vanities.
One reported case involved a patient who inserted the swab only slightly too far, causing sudden pain and bleeding. Their story begins with a surprisingly personal moment and evolves into a product that’s now used everywhere from baby care to beauty routines and precision cleaning.
The Origins of Cotton Swabs
The idea for the cotton swab came about when Leo Gerstenzang noticed his wife twisting bits of cotton onto toothpicks to carefully clean around their baby’s ears.
Although this name would be considered quite unusual for today's standards, the baby gay was a huge hit!
It’s almost instinctive. Finally though, he found the right formula for the cotton swab's structure. The production facility in Long Island City, New York, was relocated to Jefferson City, Missouri. First, Leo wanted to ensure the wood wouldn't splinter in the baby's ears. Obviously, due to the toothpicks pointed end, this was extremely dangerous for the child, with even one wrong move resulting in a serious ear wound.
The machinery was brought to the U.S. and adapted to produce paper-shaft cotton swabs, giving consumers a choice between traditional wooden sticks and the now-familiar paper version.
Chesebrough-Ponds took ownership of Q-tips® in 1962, moving operations to Jefferson City, Missouri. He noticed that his wife was covering a toothpick with cotton in order to clean her baby's ears.
In 2007, Q-tips® began sourcing paper from sustainably managed forests. This made Q-tips® cotton swabs available in both wooden and paper sticks.
The demand for Q-tips® cotton swabs products continued to grow and in 1962, the Q-tips® Company was acquired by Chesebrough-Ponds. Under Unilever, Q-tips® expanded into specialty products such as the Vanity Pack and antimicrobial cotton swabs, reflecting growing demand for more targeted applications.
Cotton Swabs and the Environment
As sustainability became a bigger concern, cotton swab manufacturers adapted.
By 1926 he added "Q-Tips" in front of the old "Baby Gays" title to create the first "Q-Tip Baby Gays". Now, all he needed was a name.
He chose Baby Gays as the name of the first cotton swab. He founded the Leo Gerstenzang Infant Novelty Co., a firm which marketed baby care accessories.
The product was originally called Baby Gays, and in 1926, the labels were changed to read Q-tips® Baby Gays.
When it comes to earwax or hearing concerns, a healthcare provider, not a cotton swab, is the safer choice.
Q-tips - History of Q-tips
The first Q-tip was invented in 1920 by the Polish-born American Leo Gerstenzang. This plant continued to produce all Q-tips® cotton swab requirements for the domestic market until 1974.
Chesebrough-Pond's moved a portion of Q-tips® cotton swabs production to Las Piedras, Puerto Rico.
This period provided numerous growth opportunities and saw the transition to “100% cotton” for all Q-tips® cotton swabs.
Unilever, the company founded in 1885 in England as Lever Brothers by grocer William Hesketh Lever and his brother James, acquired Chesebrough-Pond's including Q-tips® cotton swabs.
Q-tips® cotton swabs Vanity Pack was introduced.
Q-tips® Antimicrobial cotton swabs were launched.
Q-tips® cotton swabs remain the market leader and continually searches for new and improved opportunities to serve consumers.
Introduced the repackaged 30-count Purse Pack.
Q-tips® cotton swabs switched to a plastic (PET) that is more environmentally friendly.
Introduced the repackaged Q-tips® cotton swabs Vanity Pack.