Who Invented Velcro

Velcro has always been an integral part of our lives! Have you thought how cumbersome your favorite pair of Adidas shoes and other footwear would be without a tiny piece of Velcro? What about those fashionable skirts that use Velcro for fastening at the waist? Strange as it may seem, there are many times when one does not really think about minor objects that are of utmost importance to us! A tiny piece of Velcro can be of great use, however, I don't think any one of us have gone into the depth of this matter!

So, who invented Velcro? What was the thought behind this discovery? How interesting is the history of Velcro? Well, the invention happened through a remarkable event and the new invention was scoffed at initially. But then, that is the price one pays for thinking differently! Let's take a look at the inventor of Velcro and its history.

Invention and History of Velcro

George de Mestral was a Swiss Electrical Engineer who is credited with the invention of Velcro, which happened in 1941. Velcro represents a brand name. This brand name manufactures Velcro, which we use in our every day, lives. Velcro consists of two layers and when both these sides are pressed together, they help in fastening two surfaces. This name therefore, is a registered trademark in many countries. Today, the term Velcro has become synonymous with the product instead of the product being known as a 'loop tape' or 'hook fastener'. Therefore, people tend to refer to the product as Velcro rather than 'hook fastener'.

The invention of Velcro happened when George de Mestral came home following a hunting trip with his dog. This hunting trip was in the beautiful Alps. When he came home, he realized there was something stuck to his clothes. This was also visible on the fur of his dog. His natural curiosity for things led to the examination of these objects under the microscope. The objects in this case were the seeds of burdock. With the help of the microscope he realized it had tiny 'hooks'. This is what made it 'stick' to things in a jiffy. This itself gave rise to the thought of how the substance can be used to bind two surfaces together. This was what made him curious to know ways to implement the usage of his current discovery.

A new idea like this did not find any takers. George de Mestral was thus ridiculed initially. He tried various methods and then devised ways to simplify the process. At a point when he almost gave up, George suddenly had an idea that helped him to mechanize the process of weaving the hooks. This took 8 years. In 1951, George de Mestral then submitted a patent for the invention. He was granted the same in 1955. This led to the opening of many outlets in various countries.

Today Velcro is used for innumerable things. From combat suits to presentations, Christmas lights to fashion clothing, Velcro has crept into our lives to be an important entity without all the fuss and frills! It's surprising isn't it? Such an invention has been invisible for us, although its presence is seen in various ways in our everyday lives!