Velcro facts for kids
Velcro official logo and wordmark
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Trade name
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Velcro Companies |
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Formerly
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Velcro SA. |
| Private | |
| Industry | Manufacturing: fastening systems |
| Founder | George de Mestral |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
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Number of locations
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Manufacturing: 7 countries |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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| Products | Hook-and-loop fasteners, and other products |
| Brands | VELCRO |
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Number of employees
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2,500 |
| Subsidiaries | Alfatex Group |
Velcro IP Holdings LLC, known as Velcro Companies, is a British company. It was started by a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral in the 1950s. This company is famous for making the original hook-and-loop fasteners, which George de Mestral invented.
Contents
The Story of Velcro
The idea for Velcro came from a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral. In 1941, he went for a walk in the Alps mountains. When he came back, he noticed that burdock seeds were sticking to his clothes and his dog, Milka.
He wondered why these seeds stuck so well. When he looked closely, he saw tiny hooks on the seeds. These hooks grabbed onto the loops in his wool socks and coat. George de Mestral realized this natural idea could be very useful.
He worked on his invention for many years. In 1955, he received a patent for it. A patent protects an invention, so others cannot copy it easily. He then worked to make it easy to produce in factories. The product was first sold in the late 1950s.
How Velcro Works
The fastener has two main parts. One part is a strip of fabric with many tiny hooks. The other part is a strip with many small loops. When you press them together, the hooks grab onto the loops. This makes them stick together. You can pull them apart easily when you want to.
At first, the fastener was made from cotton. But cotton did not work very well. So, they started making it from stronger materials like nylon and polyester. These materials made the fastener much better.
Where the Name Velcro Comes From
George de Mestral gave his invention the name Velcro. This name is a mix of two French words. Velours means 'velvet', and crochet means 'hook'. He also named the company he started "Velcro SA" after his invention.
Velcro Today
Velcro Companies still make and sell these fastening systems. When it was first invented, people thought it would mostly be used for clothes. But today, Velcro is used in many different places.
You can find Velcro in healthcare, like on blood pressure cuffs. It is used by the military for gear. You can also find it in cars, airplanes, and even spacecraft!
Sometimes, people use "Velcro" to talk about any hook-and-loop fastener, even if it's not made by Velcro Companies. They might even use "Velcro" as a verb, like "Velcro your shoes." In 2017, Velcro Companies started a campaign called "Don't Say Velcro." They wanted to remind people that VELCRO is a brand name. This helps them protect their special trademark.
See also
In Spanish: Velcro para niños
