Velcro IP Holdings LLC,[2][4][5] doing business as Velcro Companies and commonly referred to as Velcro (pronounced /ˈvɛlkroʊ/),[1] 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.[2]
 Velcro official logo and wordmark | |
| Velcro Companies[1] | |
| Formerly | Velcro SA.[2] |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Manufacturing: fastening systems |
| Founder | George de Mestral |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Number of locations | Manufacturing: 7 countries[1] |
Area served | Worldwide[1] |
Key people | [1] |
| Products | Hook-and-loop fasteners, and other products[1] |
| Brands | VELCRO[1] |
Number of employees | 2,500[1] |
| Subsidiaries | Alfatex Group[3] |
| Website | www |
History
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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.[2][6] He discovered it could be turned into something useful.[5] He patented it in 1955,[2][5] 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.[7] Initially made of cotton, which proved impractical,[8] the fastener was eventually constructed with nylon and polyester.[5][9]
De Mestral gave the name Velcro,[2][4] a portmanteau of the French words velours ('velvet') and crochet ('hook'),[2][5] to his invention, as well as to the Swiss company he founded; Velcro SA.[2]
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.[6]
"Velcro" is used by some as a genericized trademark,[10] and is additionally sometimes used as a verb.[4] 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.[11]
References
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- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Company Information". www.Velcro.co.uk. Velcro IP Holdings LLC. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h 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.
- ^ a b c "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.
- ^ a b c d e Suddath, Claire (15 June 2010). "A brief history of: Velcro". content.Time.com. TIME USA, LLC. Archived from the original on 20 February 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ a b "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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