You’ll find VELCRO® Brand fasteners in all walks of life; around the home, in DIY stores, on clothing… In fact, it’s hard to imagine a world without them.
But have you ever wondered how VELCRO® Brand fasteners actually work?
Read on for a fascinating insight into one of the 20th century’s most famous inventions.
How hook and loop technology was invented
To understand how VELCRO® Brand fasteners work, it’s important to know where the inspiration for hook and loop technology came from.
It all started when George de Mestral, the inventor of hook and loop, took his dog for a walk through the Alps and noticed that burdock burrs – a tiny seed covered in hundreds of microscopic ‘hooks’ that catch onto the natural ‘loops’ that cover fur, clothing and hair – kept sticking to his dog’s fur.
After close investigation, George noticed that the burdock burr’s barbed, hook-like seeds were engaging with the ‘loops’ on his trousers. Then began almost a decade of trying to replicate this process and create a reusable, reversible fastener.
How VELCRO® Brand fasteners work
Hook and loop fasteners have two strips; the rough side has hundreds of tiny ‘hooks’ and the softer side has hundreds of tiny ‘loops’.
When you press the two strips together, the hook cling to the loops to make them stick.
The more hooks and loops that are attached, the stronger the hook and loop fastener will be. So you’ll notice that VELCRO® Brand Heavy Duty Fasteners have many more hooks and loops than standard fasteners.
Interested in finding out more about hook and loop technology? Stay on our blog!
