Paperclip Day takes place on May 29 to celebrate one of the most useful tools on any desk. The small wire loop keeps papers neat without tearing pages. Beyond holding school and office files together, the paperclip has a rich story. It spans early patents, wartime resistance, and school memorial projects. Today people mark the day by tidying desks, sharing fun wire hacks, and learning its history.

What is Paperclip Day?

Paperclip Day is an annual day honoring the simple wire clip that keeps paper organized. Millions of people use paperclips daily at work and school. May 29 gives everyone a fun chance to pause and enjoy this small tool that makes handling paper much easier.

The day also highlights how useful paperclips are beyond holding files. People bend clips to reset phone hardware, unclog small glue tips, and make quick wire hooks. The day honors both practical office sorting and the clever everyday fixes people create with simple wire.

Anyone can join in by cleaning a messy desk or trying a new paperclip trick. Schools and offices often mark May 29 with quick desk cleanups. It is a lighthearted day that turns a basic supply into something fun to talk about.

The Invention and Patent History of the Paper Clip

The story of the paperclip includes several inventors across different countries. American inventor Samuel B. Fay earned the first patent for a wire paper clip on April 23, 1867. Fay designed his clip to attach price tags to clothing fabrics without leaving pinholes, though his patent noted it could hold papers.

Over the next thirty years, dozens of inventors patented other wire clips. Norwegian inventor Johan Vaaler designed a rectangular wire clip in 1899. He received patents in Germany in 1899 and the United States in 1901. Norway honors Vaaler as the creator, though his design lacked the inner loop of modern clips.

The common double-loop Gem paperclip was never patented under its own name. The Gem clip entered mass production in Britain in the late 1890s and soon became the world standard. William Middlebrook patented a machine to make Gem clips in 1899, setting the loop shape we use today.

Web sites and calendar listings began celebrating National Paperclip Day on May 29 around 2015. The annual date gives fans of history and office supplies a shared moment to highlight these early patents. It reminds us how much thought went into making simple desk tools.

World War II Symbol of Resistance

During World War II, the paperclip became a famous symbol of national unity in Nazi-occupied Norway. When occupying forces banned lapel pins showing King Haakon VII, Norwegians needed a new sign of loyalty. People started wearing simple paperclips on their lapels, collars, and coat pockets.

The paperclip made a great symbol because its main job is binding things together. Wearing one showed that Norwegian citizens stood united against foreign rule. When Nazi officers realized what the clips meant, wearing a paperclip became a crime that could get a person arrested.

Today Norway honors this brave history with public memorials. A large paperclip monument stands at Sandvika, Norway, celebrating Johan Vaaler and the wartime resistance. The simple wire clip remains a proud Norwegian symbol of standing together in hard times.

The Paper Clips Project and Holocaust Memorial

In 1998, middle school students and teachers in Whitwell, Tennessee, started a project to understand the Holocaust. Learning about Norwegian resistance in World War II, the class decided to collect 6 million paper clips. Each clip represented one Jewish life lost during the war.

The project soon drew attention from news outlets around the world. Letters and packages filled with paperclips poured into the small town school from all over the world. By the end of the effort, the school had gathered over 30 million paper clips from caring people.

The moving effort inspired the 2004 film Paper Clips. The movie showed how a small classroom idea grew into a global lesson on tolerance. Today, a real historic German railcar at Whitwell Middle School holds millions of clips as a permanent memorial.

Clever Uses and Practical Hacks for Paperclips

Paperclips are famous for solving everyday problems around the house and office. An unbent metal clip can eject a SIM card tray from a phone in seconds. People also use straightened clips to clear blocked bottle caps and clean tight gaps in keyboards.

Creative makers also turn colorful wire clips into art and crafts. You can bend vinyl clips into heart bookmarks, mini photo holders, and small hooks. These simple projects show why the humble paperclip stays so popular after more than a century.

Paperclip Day Dates

This year Paperclip Day is celebrated on Friday, May 29, 2026

Year	Date	Day
2026	May 29	Friday
2027	May 29	Saturday
2028	May 29	Monday
2029	May 29	Tuesday
2030	May 29	Wednesday
2031	May 29	Thursday

How to celebrate Paperclip Day

You can mark Paperclip Day with these fun, easy, and meaningful activities on May 29.