Velcro

Velcro is a privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s, that is known for being the original manufacturer of hook-and-loop fasteners.

This article is about the company. For the type of fastener originally patented by Velcro, see hook and loop fastener. For other uses, see Velcro (disambiguation).
Velcro BVBA
TypePrivately held company
IndustryManufacturing
FounderGeorge de Mestral
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Area served
worldwide
Key people
  • Bob Woodruff (CEO)
  • Dirk Foreman (President, Velcro North America)
  • Norbert Nieleck (President, Velcro EMEA)
  • Paulo Garutti (President, Velcro Latin America)
  • Frank Liao (President, Velcro APAC)
[1]
ProductsHook-and-loop fasteners and other products
Number of employees
2,500
Websitewww.velcro.com

History
Velcro, invented by de Mestral

Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral invented his first touch fastener when, in 1941, he went for a walk in the woods and wondered why burdock seeds clung to his coat and dog. He discovered it could be turned into something useful.[2] He patented it in 1955, and subsequently refined and developed its practical manufacture until its commercial introduction in the late 1950s.

The fastener consisted of two components: a lineal fabric strip with tiny hooks that could "mate" with another fabric strip with smaller loops, attaching temporarily, until pulled apart.[3] Initially made of cotton, which proved impractical,[4] the fastener was eventually constructed with nylon and polyester.[5]

De Mestral gave the name Velcro, a portmanteau of the French words velour ("velvet") and crochet ("hook"),[6][7] to his invention as well as to the company he founded.

The company continues to manufacture and market the fastening system.

References
  1. "Company Information". Velcro. Velcro BVBA. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  2. Suddath, Claire (15 June 2010). "A Brief History of: Velcro" – via content.time.com.
  3. "Velcro". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
  4. Strauss, Steven D. (December 2001). The Big Idea: How Business Innovators Get Great Ideas to Market. Kaplan Business. pp. 15–18. ISBN 978-0-7931-4837-0. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
  5. Schwarcz, Joseph A. (October 2003). Dr. Joe & What You Didn't Know: 99 Fascinating Questions About the Chemistry of Everyday Life. Ecw Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-55022-577-8. Retrieved 9 May 2008. But not every Velcro application has worked ... A strap-on device for impotent men also flopped.
  6. "Velcro." The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.
  7. Stephens, Thomas (4 January 2007). "How a Swiss invention hooked the world". swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
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