Velcro Companies 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 Companies is a British company that makes special fasteners. You probably know them as "Velcro"! It was started in the 1950s by a clever Swiss engineer named George de Mestral. He invented the famous hook-and-loop fasteners that Velcro is known for.
Contents
How Velcro Was Invented
The idea for Velcro came from nature! In 1941, a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral went for a walk in the Jura Mountains. When he came home, he noticed that burdock seeds were stuck to his woolen socks and his dog, Milka.
He looked closely at the burdock seeds under a microscope. He saw that they had tiny hooks that grabbed onto the loops in his clothes and Milka's fur. This gave him an amazing idea for a new type of fastener.
De Mestral spent many years working on his invention. He finally got a patent for it in 1955. A patent is like a special permission that protects an invention. He then worked to make it easy to produce in factories.
How Velcro Works
The fastener has two main parts. One part is a strip of fabric with tiny, stiff hooks. The other part is a strip with soft, fuzzy loops. When you press them together, the hooks catch onto the loops. This creates a strong but temporary hold.
At first, de Mestral tried making the fastener from cotton. But cotton wasn't strong enough. He later found that nylon and polyester worked much better. These materials are strong and last a long time.
George de Mestral named his invention "Velcro." This name comes from two French words: velours (which means 'velvet') and crochet (which means 'hook'). He also named his company Velcro SA after his invention.
Where Velcro Is Used Today
Velcro Companies still makes and sells 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 hospitals, helping to secure bandages. It's used by the military for uniforms and gear. It's also in cars, airplanes, and even spacecraft! It's a very useful invention for many different jobs.
Protecting the Velcro Name
Sometimes, people use "Velcro" to describe any hook-and-loop fastener, even if it's not made by Velcro Companies. This is called a "genericized trademark." It's like when people say "Kleenex" for any tissue.
Velcro Companies wants to make sure their brand name stays special. In 2017, they even launched a campaign called "Don't Say Velcro." They wanted to remind people that "Velcro" is a brand name, not just a type of fastener. This helps them protect their unique product.
See also
In Spanish: Velcro para niños
