1. Creation - The microencapsulation technology that is so vital to scratch-and-sniff products first came about as a method for creating carbon copies. Gale Matson, an organic chemist at 3M, developed the microencapsulation process in the early 1960s. With his copying process, two pieces of paper were affixed together; the top piece was for the original document, while the bottom piece was used for the copy. Tiny capsules were filled with a colorless ink and affixed to the back side of the top piece of paper. The pressure of the pen on the original would break open the capsules. The clear ink would then mix with a special developer agent on the second sheet of paper to create an exact copy of the original writing.

   Development - To apply Matson's microencapsulation technique to scents, a process was developed to break down and encapsulate scented oils. To be used in a scratch-and-sniff sticker, the various oils must be blended in a reactor with a water and polymer solution. After approximately 12 hours of blending at high speed, the oil droplets are small enough for encapsulation. Once the oil has been trapped in a tiny capsule, it is mixed with an adhesive, and applied to the surface of the scratch-and-sniff sticker.

   Use  - After the scratch-and-sniff sticker has been manufactured, it is up to the consumer to activate the sticker, releasing the scent. This is done in a fairly simple and straightforward manner. The user simply scratches the surface of the sticker. This breaks open the microcapsules, releasing the scented oil. Every scratch-and-sniff sticker is covered with countless microcapsules. Each subsequent time that the sticker is scratched, new capsules are broken open. As long as it is scratched gently, a scratch-and-sniff sticker can last for years.