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Stephen Ira

SEO Auditor

Expertise:

Hook-and Loop Product Engineering
• Product Innovation
• Mechanical Engineering
Stephen Ira worked as an inventor for a small manufacturing company where he developed several patents that included Velcro® brand products which led to his founding of HookandLoop.com in 1989, distributing Velcro® brand fasteners across the country. Stephen’s company has grown into a business that specializes in manufacturing hook and loop products that are used in the final products in many industries around the world. Stephen is a graduate of the University of Memphis with a BS degree in mechanical engineering and specialized in machine design and solar engineering. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida where he enjoys an avid outdoor lifestyle and spending time with his two daughters.
10+ Years of Experiences
180+ Articles Written
Organization
The association for Business Journalist

Stephen'S Picks

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We're Celebrating Our 30th Anniversary!

AI 3 min read

Updated On: Jun 1, 2026

HookandLoop.com 30th anniversary seal logo.

HookandLoop.com has been in business for 30 years! This month we’re celebrating our 30 year anniversary with a free shipping offer!

Just use coupon code SHIPFREE at checkout to receive free shipping on your order (must be within continental US, does not include expedited shipping, offer valid through the end of September).

What started in a small office space with a handful of employees has grown into the large company we have today, converting hook and loop by cutting, sewing, welding, and die-cutting material for uses in dozens of industries from schools and government agencies to plastics manufacturers and medical supply companies.

Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Which Adhesive Should I Use For My Hook And Loop?

AI 10 min read

Updated On: Oct 1, 2025

We offer two types of adhesive backing for all of our peel and stick hook and loop products. There's a rubber based adhesive and an acrylic based adhesive. These are pressure sensitive adhesives, or PSAs, meaning that you simply have to apply pressure to the adhesive to stick it to the substrate (the material the adhesive is being stuck to). Each adhesive has it's own pros and cons but much of the adhesive's efficacy comes from ensuring a proper bond to the substrate. So we'll cover some various questions we often have to run through when recommending the best adhesives for VELCRO® and hook and loop to our customers.
Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Logo Imprinting

AI 4 min read

Updated On: Jun 1, 2026

We offer lots of customization and converting services at HookandLoop.com, including logo imprinting onto the straps we manufacture. We make straps from the hook and loop material we sell. There are 4 strap styles we offer, all of which can be customized by size, length, color and material as well as further customizing based on drawing specs or additional pieces added to it.
Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Hook and Loop Uses For Your Project

AI 3 min read

Updated On: May 24, 2026

Do you have a project you're working on that involves hook and loop? Perhaps you're just considering using it. Whether you need sew on, adhesive backed, wide loop or straps, here are some questions you'll want to answer to find out if hook and loop is good for your application.
Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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"Do You Have a Catalog?"

AI 3 min read

Updated On: May 24, 2026

It's a question we get fairly often here at hookandloop.com and the short answer is no, we don't offer any physical catalogs of our products. We offer tons of products in various sizes and colors and compiling a catalog just doesn't make sense for us. All of our products are readily available online so the website itself acts as a catalog for us.
Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Sewing Options

AI 2 min read

Updated On: Nov 22, 2023

We use industrial sewing machines to manufacture heavy duty straps for all sorts of applications. With over 40 years of experience among our seamstresses, there are tons of stitches our staff is capable of. We straight stitch, box stitch, zig zag stitch and more on straps as small as a few inches to straps that are over 20 feet long.

Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Our Free Cut To Length Option

AI 4 min read

Updated On: Nov 21, 2023

At HookandLoop.com, DuraGrip Brand and VELCRO® Brand hook and loop fasteners are sold on 25 yard rolls for just about all of the products we offer. But we know that you aren't using this material like that. You are probably cutting it to size and using it in one or several different ways. That's why we offer our cut to length service for free.
Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Our HookandLoop.com Calculator

AI 3 min read

Updated On: May 24, 2026

Our HookandLoop.com calculator makes it easy to determine how many yards, feet or inches you need as well as giving you a yield for cut pieces. And it's all right there on the order page! Sometimes when ordering, you know you need a certain number of feet, but it may be tricky to figure out how many yards or rolls that equates to. That's where the calculator makes things easy.

Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Place an Order on Our New Strap Order Page

AI 3 min read

Updated On: Nov 22, 2023


Our new strap order page is designed to simplify the process of placing orders for our straps made with VELCRO® Brand fasteners and DuraGrip Brand hook and loop. The page lets you define the specific type of strap that you want with only a few clicks of a computer button. We offer four different types of hook and loop straps, namely the cinch strap with ring, back strap, face strap and the two way face strap. You can also order for customized lengths and designs of the straps that suit your unique preferences.


Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Mil-Spec Hook and Loop Fasteners

AI 2 min read

Updated On: May 25, 2025

Mil-Spec hook and loop fasteners, sometimes referred to as hook and pile, means hook and loop products that are made to a particular military specification. The general callout for mil-spec hook and pile material is AA55126, but within that callout are different types and classes. Types and classes specify which kind of hook product and which kind of loop product is needed.
Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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Boy Scout And Girl Scout Uniform Colors

AI 6 min read

Updated On: Jun 1, 2026

Boy Scouts Have So Many Merit Badges


Boy Scouts of America has 11 different ranks split between the cub scouts (Webelos, Bear scout, Wolf scout, and Tiger scout) and the boy scouts (Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star scout, Life scout, and Eagle scout). There are more than 135 different merit badges that a scout can earn.
Stephen Ira
by: Stephen Ira
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