Velcro
Changing the World
VELCRO® Brand products are recognised and loved around the world. They are used to adhere, affix, fasten and secure almost anything and can be identified by their iconic and reassuring fastening sound.
Today, hook and loop is everywhere. It began as an idea that became a fastening revolution born from ORIGINAL THINKING® and relentless curiosity.
Unexpected Inspiration
In 1941, Swiss engineer and inventor George de Mestral was intrigued by the burdock burrs that stuck to his dog’s fur as they passed by the unique plants on a hike.
Recognising the potential of the unique fastening capabilities of the hundreds of microscopic “hooks” on the burr, de Mestral worked tirelessly to develop a process to translate the burdock burr’s fastening to textiles and creating what we now call hook and loop.
Developing a fabric that replicated these hook-shaped extensions proved difficult, but de Mestral was determined. During his experimentation with various textiles in Lyon, France, he stumbled upon a Nylon thread. Nylon had the ideal properties — durability and “memory” — to provide the strong and durable bond needed for his revolutionary fastener.
Whilst the “loop” textile could be manufactured with relative ease, the hook textile proved more difficult. de Mestral invented a device — based on barbershop clippers — that could efficiently cut the easy-to-make loops, turning them into hooks.
de Mestral named his company, Velcro Companies, an amalgam of the French words “Velour” (velvet) and “Crochet” (hook).
Evolution Over the Years
VELCRO® Brand hook and loop and now hook to hook, fasteners are featured in a wide range of products around the world.
With our advanced manufacturing capabilities, Velcro Companies can tailor its fasteners to address each customers’ unique needs. VELCRO® Brand fasteners are used in: Consumer, Footwear & Apparel, Industrial and Construction, Medical, Packaging, Personal Care and Transportation.
VELCRO® Brand hook and loop fasteners were integral to NASA’s mission to the Moon. Learn more about how Velcro Companies helped US astronauts walk on the moon for the first time.
Relentless Innovation
The original VELCRO® Brand hook and loop fastener born from de Mestral’s ORIGINAL THINKING® is perhaps the most well-known example of biomimicry in history.
This same ORIGINAL THINKING® and relentless curiosity continues to inspire us.
Velcro Companies collaborates closely with leading chemists, engineers and scientists around the globe to refine and enhance our existing product portfolio and create new innovations.
The applications are as endless as the imagination, so we continue to explore, research and study to find our next inspiration.
