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Who Invented Velcro?

Kashmira Lad
A minuscule object, but a great help in our everyday lives, Velcro is used in many ways to fasten two surfaces. Read on to know more about the invention and history of Velcro.
Velcro has always been an integral part of our lives. 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. The invention of this material happened through a remarkable event, and the new product was initially scoffed at.

History and the Invention of Velcro

George de Mestral was a Swiss electrical engineer, who is credited with the invention of Velcro, which happened in 1941. Today, Velcro represents a brand name, which manufactures hook fasteners that are used in our everyday lives. It consists of two layers, and when both these sides are pressed together, they help in fastening both the surfaces.
Therefore, this name is a registered trademark in many countries. Today, the term Velcro has become synonymous with the product instead of it 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 this material happened when George de Mestral came home following a hunting trip with his dog, in the Alps. After he came back, 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, and made him curious to find out ways, to implement the usage of his current discovery.
A new idea like this did not find any takers, and George was 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, he submitted a patent for the invention, and was granted the same in 1955. This led to the opening of many Velcro outlets in numerous countries.
Today Velcro is used for innumerable things. From combat suits to presentations, Christmas lights to fashion clothing, it has crept into our lives to be an important entity.