Scotch Magic Tape 810: 3/4 in Rolls, Matte & Writable

Roll of Scotch Magic Tape 810 drawn to scale, 3/4 in (19 mm) wide on a 1 in core, with a strip across printed text where it turns nearly invisible and carries handwriting; inset: matte tape you can write on — A 3/4 in roll of Magic Tape; the strip disappears on print and takes ink (1 mm = 3.4 px).

Product facts

Product: Scotch Magic Tape 810, 3/4 in × 1000 in
Brand: Scotch
Brand origin: United States
Made in: United States^*
Material: Matte cellulose acetate backing, synthetic acrylic adhesive
Released: 1961
Price range: $under $5 per item

Notes on these facts

Made by 3M Company (Maplewood, Minnesota). Made in United States: 3M's October 2024 release (distributed by 3BL; the copy on news.3m.com no longer loads) says Scotch Magic Tape is made at its Hutchinson, Minnesota, facility and sent to customers around the world. It doesn't say every roll and size comes from there, and 3M's product pages give no country, so check the box if it matters. Source. Price: example listing.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

3M's US page lists the 3/4 in (19 mm) refill on a 1 in (25.4 mm) core in lengths up to 1500 in; the common roll is 1000 in (25.4 m).
3M's product information sheet gives a matte acetate backing, a synthetic acrylic adhesive, a total thickness of 2.2 mil (0.056 mm) and photo-safe status under ISO 18916.
3M launched Scotch Magic Tape in 1961 as a matte tape you can write on, developed from its 1930 Scotch Cellulose Tape.
Third-party estimates put a 3-roll Scotch Magic Tape pack at 40,000–60,000 Amazon sales a month in 2026.
3M says it makes Magic Tape at its plant in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

What is Scotch Magic Tape?

It’s 3M’s frosted, matte office tape that turns nearly invisible on paper and that you can write on. 3M sells it under the Scotch brand as Magic Tape, product number 810.

3M says Scotch Magic Tape was developed in 1961 from Scotch Cellulose Tape, invented in 1930, and MNopedia, the Minnesota Historical Society’s encyclopedia, gives the same 1961 date.

It is still one of the best-selling tapes in the US. AS Insight’s 2026 estimates put a 3-roll Magic Tape pack at 40,000 to 60,000 Amazon sales a month, and a 12-roll pack at about 10,000.

Scotch Magic Tape 810 specs

Spec	Value
Maker	3M Company (brand: Scotch)
Model	810
Common size	3/4 in × 1000 in (19 mm × 25.4 m, about 83 ft)
Core	1 in (25.4 mm); 3 in cores for longer rolls
Other lengths (3/4 in)	296 to 1500 in
Other widths	1/2 in (12.7 mm), 1 in
Backing	Matte cellulose acetate
Adhesive	Synthetic acrylic
Thickness	2.2 mil (0.056 mm); 3M do Brasil’s sheet gives 0.060 mm
Tensile strength	13 lb per in of width
Photo safe	Yes (ISO 18916); 3M’s US page lists it as not acid-free
UPC (3/4 in, 1 in core)	00051131591165
Price band	$ (under $5 per roll)
Made in	Hutchinson, Minnesota, per 3M

Widths, cores, lengths and the UPC come from 3M’s US product page; backing, adhesive, thickness and strength from 3M’s product information sheet and 3M do Brasil’s Portuguese technical sheet. Retailers (On Time Supplies, JAM Industrial Supply) list the same 3/4 in × 1000 in roll.

Scotch Magic Tape 810 roll to scale: 1 in (25.4 mm) core, 3/4 in (19 mm) wide, about 53 mm across (our estimate); 1000 in (25.4 m) long and 2.2 mil thick — The 3/4 in × 1000 in roll, face-on and edge-on. The roll diameter is our estimate.

How much tape is on a roll?

A 3/4 in refill holds 1000 in of tape: 25.4 m, or about 83 ft 4 in. Cut into 3 in (76 mm) strips, that’s about 330 strips per roll.

3M doesn’t publish the roll’s outside diameter. From the 1000 in length and 2.2 mil thickness, we estimate about 53 mm (2 in) across a full roll, with the core wall drawn by eye in our figure.

Why is it called “invisible” tape?

Because the frosted backing almost disappears once it’s pressed onto paper. On the roll the tape looks cloudy; on a page, the matte surface scatters light instead of shining, so you read straight through it.

3M says the backing is designed so you can read, scan and photocopy through it, and its product sheet says it won’t affect blueprint reproductions.

Can you write on Scotch Magic Tape?

Yes: 3M says you can write on it with pen, pencil or marker. Unlike glossy tapes, the matte backing takes ink, which 3M presented as new when it launched the tape in 1961.

That makes it handy for labeling a folder or noting a date on a mended page. We haven’t yet tested which pens smear on it; that’s our next test.

How does it compare with other tapes?

Magic Tape is for paper repairs and labels; washi tape is for decoration and comes off more easily.

	Scotch Magic Tape 810	mt washi tape
Backing	Matte cellulose acetate	Washi paper
Width	3/4 in (19 mm) common	15 mm common
Look on paper	Nearly invisible	Colored or patterned

For covering a mistake rather than mending it, a correction tape such as the BIC Wite-Out EZ Correct puts down a white film instead.

Which dispenser does it fit?

The 3/4 in refills on a 1 in core fit Scotch desktop dispensers, which 3M sells separately. 3M sells six rolls with its weighted C38 desktop dispenser as the 810K6C38 bundle.

If you use a dispenser from another brand, check that it takes a 1 in core before buying refills.

Where is Scotch Magic Tape made?

3M says it’s made at its plant in Hutchinson, Minnesota. 3M’s October 2024 release says the tape is made there and sent to customers around the world, after it won the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s first “Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota” vote, with more than 100,000 votes cast. The plant makes about 12 million miles of 3M tape a year.

Scotch is a 3M brand, the same company behind Post-it Notes, and 3M is based in Maplewood, Minnesota.

Frequently asked questions

What size is Scotch Magic Tape 810?

The most common roll is 3/4 in wide and 1000 in long (19 mm × 25.4 m, about 83 ft) on a 1 in core. 3M lists 3/4 in refills from 296 to 1500 in long, and also sells 1/2 in and 1 in widths.

What is the difference between Scotch Magic Tape and regular clear tape?

Magic Tape has a frosted, matte acetate backing that looks invisible once pressed onto paper and can be written on. Glossy clear tapes stay shiny and are harder to write on.

Can you write on Scotch Magic Tape?

Yes. Its matte surface can be written on, which set it apart from earlier transparent tapes when 3M launched it in 1961.

Does Scotch Magic Tape show up on photocopies?

3M says the matte backing disappears on most office papers so mended pages are easy to read and photocopy, and its sheet says it won't affect blueprint reproductions.

Does Scotch Magic Tape turn yellow?

It was designed not to: 3M's product information sheet says the acrylic adhesive resists drying out and yellowing. We haven't run our own aging test.

What dispenser fits a Scotch Magic Tape refill roll?

The 3/4 in × 1000 in refills sit on a 1 in core, which fits standard Scotch desktop dispensers such as the weighted C38 sold in the 810K6C38 bundle.

Where is Scotch Magic Tape made?

3M says Scotch Magic Tape is made at its plant in Hutchinson, Minnesota, and shipped worldwide. Scotch is a 3M brand based in Maplewood, Minnesota.

Sources (14)

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