Velcro
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| Type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founder | George de Mestral |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Area served | worldwide |
Key people |
|
| Products | Hook-and-loop fasteners and other products |
Number of employees | 2,500 |
| Website | www |
Velcro is a privately held company, founded by Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral in the 1950s, that is known for being the original manufacturer of hook-and-loop fasteners.
History[edit]
Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral invented his first touch fastener when, in 1941, he went for a walk in the woods and wondered why burdock seeds clung to his coat and dog. He discovered it could be turned into something useful.[2] 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.[3] Initially made of cotton, which proved impractical,[4] the fastener was eventually constructed with nylon and polyester.[5]
De Mestral gave the name Velcro, a portmanteau of the French words velour ("velvet") and crochet ("hook"),[6][7] to his invention as well as to the company he founded.
The company continues to manufacture and market the fastening system.
References[edit]
- ^ "Company Information". Velcro. Velcro BVBA. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
- ^ Suddath, Claire (15 June 2010). "A Brief History of: Velcro" – via content.time.com.
- ^ "Velcro". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Velcro." The Oxford English Dictionary. 2nd ed. 1989.
- ^ Stephens, Thomas (4 January 2007). "How a Swiss invention hooked the world". swissinfo.ch. Retrieved 9 May 2008.
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Velcro. |
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Look up velcro in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- Velcro Official US company website
- Original 1955 patent – from Google Patents