Who Invented Velcro

Who invented Velcro? George de Mestral of Switzerland invented the fastener that is used worldwide. That is, with the help of Mother Nature.  George de Mestral was an inventor and hiker. He lived in Switzerland. On a bright summer day in 1948, George and his dog were out for a nature hike. When they got home, they were both covered in burrs. Fascinated with how these seedpods would attach themselves to animals and humans in order to travel to fertile areas for new growth, George decided to investigate. He removed one of the burrs from his pants and went to look at it under the microscope. That is when he saw that Mother Nature had supplied the seedpods with hundreds of tiny hooks. He learned how the burrs were able to cling so securely to clothes and animal fur.

George de Mestral was born on June 19, 1907. He lived in a small village near Lausanne, Switzerland. George had a love of the outdoors and a knack for inventing. He was only 12 years old when he received his first patent. It was for a toy plane he had invented. Later, by working odd jobs he was able to pay for his tuition at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. He earned an electrical engineering degree.

After the fateful day of hiking with his dog, he began to work on an idea for creating a fastener that would equal the tenacity of the burrs that had clung to his pants. He began experimenting with the hook and loop design. He wasn’t satisfied that his invention was clinging as strongly as he wanted, so he acquired the help of a weaver in France. Together they continued to work on perfecting the loop and hook fasteners. It took a decade of experimenting with different fabrics and hook sizes. They learned that Nylon worked better than cotton.

Finally, the man who invented Velcro was ready to show his design to the world. The year was 1955.  George de Mestral had his invention patented. His locking tape was named Velcro. The name Velcro was a combination of two French words: Velour, which means velvet and Crochet, meaning hooks.  He had his invention patented and established Velcro industries. Velcro industries sold the fasteners exclusively until 1978, when the patent expired. Though de Mestral died in 1990, his invention has stood the test of time.

Hooked on Velcro

 Velcro has two layers. One side is the hook side, which is a piece of fabric that is covered with tiny plastic hooks. The loop has even smaller plastic hooks that give it a fuzzy hairy look. Pressed together the two layers or sides hold together.

 George de Mestral, the man who invented Velcro, would likely be surprised at some the ways the fasteners have been used. Velcro is the perfect hook and loop fastener for home decorating projects. It can be used for skirting for shelves and sinks. It is ideal for attaching window treatments of all kinds. Today you will find it being used everywhere. It has replaced laces on running shoes. Velcro is commonly used on jackets, wallets and watchbands. NASA uses the fastener to keep equipment from floating around in space shuttles.

When Velcro strips are separated they make a ripping sound. This ripping sound makes Velcro useful when placed on the inside of pockets. The sound makes it a useful deterrent to pick pocketing, while in certain settings, the ripping noise can be disruptive. Other flaws of Velcro are that it tends to collect hair, dust and fur in the hooks after a few weeks of regular use. The loops can also get stretched or broken with prolonged use. A delicately woven sweater can get damaged when trying to remove a piece of Velcro that’s become attached to it. Still, the uses and advantages of Velcro tend to outweigh the disadvantages.

In the 1950’s, George de Mestral, the man who invented Velcro was first met with ridicule and laughter. His determination brought us the product that has been used in heart surgery.  One can’t help but wonder if Mother Nature will reveal even more uses for this versatile material.