Q-tips
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Q-tips are probably the best-known brand of cotton swabs in Canada and the United States. Q-tip brand cotton swabs are manufactured by Unilever. Most commonly they are used for cleaning ears (though entering the ear canal to remove earwax is no longer advised, as stated on the package) or applying medicine or makeup.
They were first produced in 1923 after Leo Gerstenzang, the original founder of the Q-tips Company, observed his wife adding cotton to toothpicks to clean their baby's ears. It was originally called Baby Gays and in 1926 was changed to Q-tips Baby Gays. Later the name Baby Gays was dropped. The "Q" in the name stands for quality.
"Q-tip" has become a genericized trademark in much of Canada and the United States (people refer to any brand of cotton swab as a Q-tip) Outside North America, they are simply referred to as cotton buds.
