Have you ever been outside and found yourself covered in those annoying “fruits” known as burs? If you’ve had this experience, you know how tedious it can be to carefully unhook the burs from your clothing, hair, or shoes. While hunting with his dog in the Alps, Swiss engineer George de Mestral encountered this frustration multiple times. While he was removing burs from his dog’s fur, an innovative idea struck him: could we replicate the intricate hook-and-loop structure of burs? This moment of inspiration led to the creation of Velcro, a versatile fastening solution and brand trademarked on May 13th, 1958. 

The hook-and-fastener solution underwent several variations before becoming the Velcro brand we know today. Initially, George de Mestral’s idea was rejected by Lyon, France, the center of the weaving industry. However, one weaver showed interest in the project and helped him develop a prototype using cotton. Unfortunately, the fabric proved to be too flimsy and began to fray within days. 

Realizing the need for a more durable material, de Mestral decided to use synthetic fabrics, ultimately choosing nylon. After over ten years of trial and error, he was finally ready to introduce his innovative hook and fastener solution. He applied for his original patent in 1951, which was granted to him in 1955. De Mestral named his product “Velcro,” a combination of the French words “velours” (velvet) and “crochet” (hook), and trademarked the name in 1958.

In 2017, Velcro launched the “Don’t Say Velcro” campaign in response to the common misuse of the term. Many individuals mistakenly use “Velcro” as an adjective or a verb, diluting the trademarked name. Velcro encourages people to help maintain the distinctiveness of their brand by using the term “Velcro” solely in reference to their company and not to describe other hook and fastener solutions.