Glue stick

Standard "Pritt Stick" and Extra Strong "Power Pritt"

Glue sticks are solid adhesives in twist or push-up tubes. The user can apply glue by holding the open tube, thus keeping their fingers clean. Because of their ease of use, and their economic value, glue sticks are a popular school and office supply.

Applications

Glue sticks are only designed to glue paper, card and felt together, as glue sticks are not as strong as some liquid based variants. They can be used for craft and design, office use and at school. There are now permanent, washable, acid-free, non-toxic, solvent free, and dyed (e.g. to see where the glue is being applied easier) varieties - glue sticks can have one or more of these features incorporated into them.

Brands

In 1969 the German company Henkel invented the glue stick after studying the "twist-up ease" and convenience of lipstick applicators. The product was released under the Pritt Stick brand. By 1971 the Pritt Stick was being sold in 38 countries, by 2001 in 121. The first solvent free multi-purpose glue stick that could be used for other materials (e.g. wood, glass and some plastics) was the "PowerPritt", which was put on the market in 2003.

Glue sticks are made by many brands and each may have different features to it. Various brands, like UHU, and Snopake make glue sticks. Generic brands manufacture glue sticks as well, utilising the twist action.

Sizes

Glue sticks can come in many sizes, the most common being 10g, 20g and 40g. Glue sticks can be of any weight, but for the twist-up action to work, the tube has to be cylindrical.

In popular culture

Used in schools and creative environments where children and toddlers are present, glue sticks have become a stereotype of young education.

The product was used in a sketch for the UK comedy show Little Britain, being sniffed by stereotypical chav character Vicky Pollard, as a spoof on sniffing glue (Nearly all glue sticks on the market do not contain solvents, making sniffing ineffectual).

In the UK and Ireland, Pritt Stick has become a generic term used by the public to refer to any type of glue stick, although both terms are common.

Kate Nash's album Made of Bricks contains a song called "Mariella" wherein the title character of the song sticks her lips together with a Pritt Stick.

Banned In Schools

Some schools in countries like China have banned the glue stick after some casualties after ingesting the glue. There are roughly 30 schools who have gone to these measures.