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To properly understand the History Of VELCRO® Brand Fasteners, we must start with the invention of hook & loop. 

The Hook & Loop Invention: Hook & Loop material was invented in 1941 by Swiss Engineer and inventor George de Mestral. He was intrigued by the burdock burrs that kept sticking to his dog’s fur as they passed by the unique plants. After years of investigating the burr’s properties, de Mestral translated those affixing and fastening functions into textiles, creating what we now know as “hook-and-loop.” However, the subsequent process of recreating a burr-like product that could be used in daily applications took nearly a decade. George de Mestral created the word “velcro” to describe his brand of hook and loop, as well as for the name of his company.  “Velcro” is an amalgam of the French words “Velour” (velvet) and “Crochet” (hook)  and can only be used in connection with genuine VELCRO® Brand products. 

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De Mestral, saw this fastening system as a replacement for, among other things, zippers. Hook & loop got its first break when it was used in the aerospace industry to help astronauts maneuver in and out of bulky space suits. However, this reinforced the popular opinion at that time that hook & loop was something with very limited utilitarian uses. The next major use of hook and loop was with skiers, who saw the similarities between their suits and those of astronauts, and thus saw the advantages of a suit that was easier to put on and remove. Scuba and marine gear followed soon after. After seeing astronauts storing food pouches on walls and standing upright in the weightless atmosphere with the aid of hook & loop, children’s clothing makers came on board. As hook and loop material only became widely used after NASA’s adoption of it, NASA is popularly yet improperly credited with its invention.  Later improvements to hook & loop tape included strengthening the filament by adding polyester.

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Key dates | history of VELCRO® Brand Fasteners:

1978 The original patent expires, allowing other companies to manufacture hook and loop.

1994 Speedtech International, Inc., begins fabricating finished products from this new VELCRO BRAND® ONE-WRAP® tape material and in doing so, Speedtech becomes a pioneer in the field of hook and loop cable management.  

1996: Velcro Companies formally introduces a self-engaging, infinitely adjustable, and reusable VELCRO Brand ONE-WRAP® Material.  This industrial-grade material is superior to many others in that it does not de-laminate over time.  For this reason, Speedtech employs VELCRO® Brand back-to-back, hook & loop fasteners for its customers seeking industrial quality and longevity for their application.

For Speedtech’s history, visit the about us page.

The uses for VELCRO® Brand Fasteners are limited only by one’s imagination. Need help comparing VELCRO® Brand Fasteners to other materials? The experts at Speedtech are standing by to answer your questions. Contact us.

The categories of hook and loop & VELCRO® Brand Fasteners:

There are several product categories for VELCRO® Brand Fasteners including sticky back tape, sew-on tape, back-to-back, and the new QT material.  

Within these categories, there are more options for how these materials can be fabricated into finished form.  The following are just a few of the fastener’s categories.

TRUST YOUR PURCHASING OR APPLICATION NEEDS IN AN AUTHORIZED VELCRO® BRAND DISTRIBUTOR.

Speedtech has been specializing in VELCRO® Brand ONE-WRAP® material since 1994. We are an Authorized Distributor of VELCRO® Brand Fasteners. For 1-on-1 assistance with VELCRO® Brand Fasteners, contact us today

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Quality Matters: The material is manufactured by Velcro Companies, using a patented process. VELCRO® Brand ONE-WRAP® is a unique back-to-back, hook and loop material. It features hook and loop that are married together without the use of adhesives.  By eliminating the use of adhesives to laminate these two components, the finished material is less likely to ‘de-laminate’ over time (where the hook separates from the loop).  Many lower-cost imports utilize cheaper material where the hook side is married to the loop side using adhesives. In our opinion, less expensive materials are inferior to ONE-WRAP® Fastening Tape, thus any cable ties fabricated from lower-grade materials can be unacceptable for most industrial applications.

When Speedtech’s customers require a higher-quality product, or they are reselling products to their industrial customers, they purchase Industrial Grade SPEEDWRAP® or VELCRO® Brand ONE-WRAP® Fasteners. 

 

FOR 1-ON-1 ASSISTANCE WITH VELCRO® BRAND FASTENERS, CONTACT US TODAY.

 

History of VELCRO® Brand Fasteners Continued:

VELCRO® Brand products are well-loved around the world and known for their familiar and reassuring fastening sound. Hook and loop is part of our everyday language and indispensable to our daily lives. 

While VELCRO® Brand products are used to fasten everything from roof panels to artwork on walls to diapers, Speedtech International focuses on industrial applications including:

The industries we serve with VELCRO® Brand products:

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Pioneers of Cable Management using Hook & Loop:

As Speedtech was among the first to introduce the idea of hook and loop cable ties, straps, and cut-to-length double-sided tapes to the Industrial Marketplace, it became apparent that these customers and resellers needed a more convenient way to handle and store the product.  To respond, Speedtech introduced a finished product in convenient packaging.  

Made from VELCRO BRAND® ONE-WRAP® Material:

Around this time, Speedtech introduced its own line of SPEEDWRAP® Brand Fasteners.  Many of these ties, straps, and tapes are made from VELCRO BRAND® ONE-WRAP® Material.  To this day, the company continues to expand this line and new, leading Industrial Distributors like Fastenal Company and many others- offer SPEEDWRAP® Brand Fasteners to their customers.   

A deeper dive into the history of VELCRO BRAND® Fasteners:

What has now become an integral part of popular culture, fashion, and common home goods was once invented on serendipity, inspired by a routine hike in the woods. In 1941, Swiss engineer and inventor George de Mestral was intrigued by the burdock burrs that kept sticking to his dog’s fur as they passed by the unique plants.

After years of investigating the burr’s properties, de Mestral translated those affixing and fastening functions into textiles, creating what we now know as “hook-and-loop.” However, the subsequent process of recreating a burr-like product that could be used in daily applications took nearly a decade.

The burdock burr contains hundreds of minuscule “hooks.” Developing a fabric that replicated these hook-shaped extensions proved difficult but de Mestral was determined. While the “loop” textile could be manufactured with relative ease, the hook textile could not be created so quickly. De Mestral eventually invented a device – based on hair clippers used at a barbershop – that could efficiently cut the easy-to-make loops and turn them into hooks.

At the time in the history Of VELCRO® Brand Fasteners,  cotton was the most commercially available fabric, but it was too weak and thin for the hook-and-loop to provide any true sticking power. During an experiment with various textiles in Lyon, France, de Mestral stumbled upon a Nylon thread that had accidentally become mixed into his fabrics. At that point, he discovered Nylon’s ideal properties – durability and “memory.” It wasn’t until Nylon arrived in the marketplace that hook-and-loop textiles provided the strong and durable bond that de Mestral envisioned.

After this hurdle had been addressed, De Mestral decided to name his revolutionary invention an amalgam of the French words “Velour” (velvet) and “Crochet” (hook) hence the name of the brand.

Around the World

VELCRO® fasteners have evolved extensively in the 60-plus years since its invention and even accompanied the first man on the moon, securing components of Neil Armstrong’s space suite on his famous 1969 trip.

Hook-and-loop and now hook-to-hook, fasteners are featured in products around the world, ranging from transportation, personal care, apparel and outerwear, and even packaging.

While Velcro Companies serve customers Worldwide, Speedtech primarily serves North America.  Speedtech’s President, Chris Karnowski adds, “We began working with VELCRO® Fasteners in the early to mid-90s and since then we’ve added more of these great products as well as manufacturing custom fastening solutions utilizing these materials.  One of my favorite parts of the job is leveraging our years of experience with these materials when giving advice and help to Speedtech’s customers.”

FOR 1-ON-1 ASSISTANCE WITH VELCRO® BRAND FASTENERS, CONTACT US TODAY.

 

VELCRO®, ONE-WRAP® and VELSTRAP® are registered trademarks of

Velcro IP Holdings LLC. Used with permission.