How Velcro Was Invented

Velcro is a brand of hook-and-loop fastener allowing two surfaces to attach and detach repeatedly. Essentially a reusable hug for surfaces.

Swiss engineer George de Mestral conceived the idea in 1941 after burdock burs stuck to his clothes. He examined them under a microscope.

Velcro combines velvet and hook in its French name.

De Mestral noted hundreds of tiny hooks catching loops in fabric or fur. Nature had already filed the patent.

Cotton frayed too fast, so de Mestral switched to nylon.

Mechanizing the weaving took eight years. Building a loom to trim loops required another year.

Early fasteners looked like leftover bits of cheap fabric. Integration into the textile industry took time. Its first break came from aerospace use.

Today the trademark holds more than 300 registrations across over 159 countries. Burdock burs achieved global domination without ever learning French.