 Velcro official logo and wordmark | |
| Trade name | Velcro Companies |
|---|---|
| Formerly | Velcro SA. |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Manufacturing: fastening systems |
| Founder | George de Mestral |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Number of locations | Manufacturing: 7 countries |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | |
| Products | Hook-and-loop fasteners, and other products |
| Brands | VELCRO |
| Number of employees | 2,500 |
| Subsidiaries | Alfatex Group |
| Website | www |
Velcro IP Holdings LLC, doing business as Velcro Companies and commonly referred to as Velcro (pronounced /ˈvɛlkroʊ/), is a British privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s. It is the original manufacturer of hook-and-loop fasteners, which de Mestral invented.
History
Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral who studied at EPFL invented his first touch fastener when, in 1941, he went for a walk in the Alps, and wondered why burdock seeds clung to his woolen socks and coat, and also his dog Milka. He discovered it could be turned into something useful. He patented it in 1955, and subsequently refined and developed its practical manufacture until its commercial introduction in the late 1950s.
The fastener consisted of two components: a lineal fabric strip with tiny hooks that could 'mate' with another fabric strip with smaller loops, attaching temporarily, until pulled apart. Initially made of cotton, which proved impractical, the fastener was eventually constructed with nylon and polyester.
De Mestral gave the name Velcro, a portmanteau of the French words velours ('velvet') and crochet ('hook'), to his invention, as well as to the Swiss company he founded; Velcro SA.
The company continues to manufacture and market the fastening system. Originally envisioned as a fastener for clothing, today, Velcro is used across a wide array of industries and applications; including healthcare, the military, land vehicles, aircraft, and even spacecraft.
"Velcro" is used by some as a genericized trademark, and is additionally sometimes used as a verb. In 2017, Velcro released a "Don't Say Velcro" campaign in an attempt to keep their brand name distinctive from other hook-and-loop fasteners to help keep their trademark protection.
References
- ^ "Company Information". www.Velcro.co.uk. Velcro IP Holdings LLC. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ Stephens, Thomas (4 January 2007). "How a Swiss invention hooked the world". www.SwissInfo.ch. Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
- "Alfatex Group history". www.Velcro.co.uk. Velcro IP Holdings LLC. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ "Velcro - Meaning of Velcro in English". www.Lexico.com. Oxford English Dictionary online. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ Suddath, Claire (15 June 2010). "A brief history of: Velcro". Time. TIME USA, LLC. Archived from the original on 20 February 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ "Who Invented VELCRO® | History of VELCRO® brand and George de Mestral". www.Velcro.co.uk. Velcro IP Holdings LLC. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- Definition of Velcro. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- Strauss, Steven D. (December 2001). The Big Idea: How Business Innovators Get Great Ideas to Market. Kaplan Business. pp. 15–18. ISBN 978-0-7931-4837-0. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
- Schwarcz, Joseph A. (October 2003). Dr. Joe & What You Didn't Know: 99 Fascinating Questions About the Chemistry of Everyday Life. ECW Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-1-55022-577-8. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
But not every Velcro application has worked ... a strap-on device for impotent men also flopped.
- Freeman, Allyn; Bob Golden (September 1997). Why Didn't I Think of That: Bizarre Origins of Ingenious Inventions We Couldn't Live Without. Wiley. pp. 99–104. ISBN 978-0-471-16511-8. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
- Ramer, Holly. "Velcro's video implores consumers to say 'hook and loop'". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on 26 November 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
External links
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| Garment structures | |||||
| Textiles |
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| Animal hides / leather | |||||
| Fasteners | |||||
| Seams | |||||