Velcro was invented in 1941 and patented in 1955. It was discovered by accident when a plant, Burdock, clung to the clothing of an electrical engineer and his dog in the Swiss Alps. As scientist often do when observing unusual things, the engineer, Georges de Mestral, hmm, what’s going on here and how could I replicate it for the masses.
The name Velcro comes form the French words velours (‘velvet’) and croché (‘hook). The company Velcro IP Holdings LLC owns the name “Velcro,” baring others who make the “hook and loop” fastening system to use the Velcro name without a proper license or distribution right.
How does Velcro hook and loop system work? Well, it’s just as it sounds. There are hooks made of some sort of plastic that has a hooked end that entangles itself into a fabric mesh, or loops. When you separate the hook from the loop, you could hear the hook separating from the loop.
The hook and loop allow the temporarily fastening of two objects where separation and reclosure is needed. One end of the hook and loop will need to stay attached by either adhesive or sewing or some other permanent fastening system.
Hook and loop is used from clothing to hanging art and prints on walls, making store display stands, and so many other uses to be able to list. One interesting additional invention that uses hook and loop is Command Strips. It uses a removable adhesive and layers a hook and loop on top. The hook and loop is used so you can access the removable adhesive tape.
Hook and loop could be made stronger or weaker depending on the construction, width, length, and height could also be factors. Some prefer a low-profile Velcro hook and loop so the two objects sit low on the surface. The low profile will tend to be weaker since fewer loops will be embedded into the hooks.
For those applications needing a much stronger hold in a hook and loop, other options such as a mushroom cap system are available. The best trade name in this system is 3M Dual lock.
QuickStickTapes offers all sorts of hook and loop systems as well as other options where temporary hold is desired.