Invention of VELCRO® Brand Hook and Loop
Who invented VELCRO® brand tape?
The VELCRO® brand of hook and loop was invented by a man named George de Mestral in the 1940's while hunting in the Jura mountains in Switzerland. Mr. de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, realized that the tiny hooks of the cockle-burs were stuck on his pants and in his dog's fur and wondered how they attached themselves. Under the scrutiny of the microscope, he observed the hooks engaging the loops in the fabric of his pants. Want to learn more about how VELCRO® Brand works? Check out our informational page on hook and loop fabric material and its many uses!
View the original patent below.
What is VELCRO® and Where Did the Word "Velcro" Come From?
VELCRO® inventor De Mestral, along with help from friends in the weaving business, finally duplicated mother nature's hook and loop fastener in the manufacturing plant. The result was the origin of VELCRO® Brand hook and loop fasteners, from the French words for velvet "velour", and hook, "crochet".
Shop the current VELCRO® Brand hook and loop products.
- 1940s - Summer walk in the woods, discovers cockleburs
- 1952 - Velcro S.A. established in Switzerland
- 1955 - Patents "Velvet Type Fabric and Method of Producing The Same" Patent #2,717,437 with the Swiss government.
- 1957 - Velcro USA opened in Manchester, NH
- 1958 - Velcro trademark registered in the United States
- 1979 - Original patents expire
- 1990 - George de Mestral dies
George de Mestral Inventor of VELCRO® Brand
Wikipedia Wikipedia entry on VELCRO® Brand
Velcro USA History
YouTube David Letterman VELCRO ® Brand Wall
A Brief History of VELCRO® Brand Article in Time.com
Success of VELCRO®
Today I Found Out.com Article about VELCRO® Brand
George de Mestral Bio on the inventor of VELCRO® Brand
VELCRO ® Brand and Biomimicry
Who Invented VELCRO® Brand