Band-Aid adhesive bandage

Band-Aid is perhaps the most iconic brand of adhesive bandages in the world, so much so that its name has become a genericized trademark for the product category in many countries. The brand was famously invented in 1920 by Earle Dickson, a cotton buyer for Johnson & Johnson, to help his wife Josephine easily dress the frequent minor cuts and burns she received while cooking. Dickson’s design—placing squares of cotton gauze on an adhesive strip—was eventually adopted and mass-produced by his employer.

For over a century, the brand operated under the Johnson & Johnson umbrella. However, in 2023, as part of a major corporate restructuring, Johnson & Johnson spun off its consumer health division into a standalone company named Kenvue. As of 2026, Kenvue remains the ultimate owner and operator of the Band-Aid brand globally.

Manufacturing of Band-Aid products occurs in multiple countries to satisfy worldwide demand. While significant production has historically taken place in the United States and Brazil, modern supply chains involve facilities in various regions, including China and other parts of Asia, to provide the high volume of bandages sold in over 100 markets.