Who the hell is that? I suspect you will never have heard of him. It's George De Mestral. Born in Switzerland in 1907, he died there in 1990. He was an electrical engineer but as you probably already guessed from this blogpost's title, De Mestral was also the inventor of "Velcro". That was the brand name of the inspired hook and loop fastening device that he developed through the 1940s and into the early 1950s.
One day, during World War II, De Mestral was out hunting with his dog. Upon returning home, he noticed that once again his dog had numerous burdock burs on its fur. It was irritating but why was it happening? How did the burdock burs cling to the animal's fur?
He investigated with the aid of a microscope and eventually concluded that the outer perimeter of the dying burdock bloom was covered with tiny hooks that could latch on to anything with a loop - such as wool for example.
He pondered this for years until he began to see the possible applications there might be for humans. If he could somehow manufacture a fastening product that used the hook and loop concept, he might be on to a winner.
Original "Velcro" logo
After a lot of trial and error, he came up with a nylon product that consisted of hundreds of tiny hooks that could marry with loop-based strips. Just like the "Velcro" we see in modern life today.
"Velcro" is very useful as a shoe and coat fastener and it is also used in hospitals, various industries, wall fastenings and car interiors. It has also featured in spacesuits since manned space flights began.
Unlike many other inventors of great things, De Mestral's "Velcro" made him fabulously rich in his lifetime.
A few minutes ago, our little Phoebe got changed ready to go to her after-school "Tumble" class. The last thing she did before jumping in Grandma's car was to put her training shoes back on. This was easy to do because they have "Velcro" straps thanks to George De Mestral's brainwave and his dogged persistence in bringing that truly brilliant idea to fruition.
Very cool and very useful, although the sound of velcro ripping apart still bothers me:)
ReplyDeleteSo many things have velcro these days - clothing, shoes, duvet covers qnd mqny more. As a dressmaker, I can vouch it is very useful.
ReplyDeleteI at first I thought that was a photo of a young George VI
ReplyDeleteVelcro - a necessary tool which has many uses…..yet still can drive you potty when it doesn’t ‘stick’ together the way you want it too. I like closures to look neat (and straight) but sometimes it ‘closes’ out of line
The dying burdock bloom was covered with tiny hooks ...
ReplyDeleteA line of poetry.
The sound of Velcro ripping apart is odd as Pixie said.
As a small child I went into a draper's and they had drawers and drawers
of buttons. Buttons like blackcurrants, buttons like chocolate coins ...
My young sister can be a scold and demands to know why I have useless
books like The Button Box by Lynn Knight.
Jewellery interests me though I would never wear a ring, ear stud, or necklace.
It's the look of it I like. Is there anything to see in Velcro ?
Ah, Velcro, from shoes to pants to coats, jackets and all sorts of things. What would we do without it!
ReplyDeleteThe one thing I don't like about Velcro is the "loop" section wears out after many uses, an example being my 15 year old sandals, and that section needs replacing. Of course after 15 years the footbed of the sandals isn't so good either, with cracks in the leather at the natural bending points so I've had to buy a new pair.
ReplyDeleteAs wonderful as Velcro is, it does wear out in time, as seen on the fabric that wraps around my umbrella to keep it folded.
ReplyDeleteI have a jacket that has super-duper-strength Velcro closures, once I'm in it, it's a mighty struggle to get out.
ReplyDeleteInteresting story. I've ben called velcro lips a few times as I'm very tight about sharing personal information. It's a school thing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for an interesting bit of knowledge I did not have before. I like the original Velcro logo and am now wondering what the name means. Wikipedia should have some information.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed very useful, but can be annoying when the little patches on my rain jacket catch on something they are not intended to adhere to ... like my woollen jumper sleeve.
ReplyDeleteIt is good for shoes, but for instance in clothing it sticks out and many years of use it will accumulate dust which stops it working. But so many things are based on plants and animals, such as our medicines and even wing shape in planes. Burdock leaves was used to wrap butter in.
ReplyDeleteYes, a revolutionary invention ... So many applications now!
ReplyDeleteThank you for an interesting read. I have learnt something.
ReplyDeleteHolds my messenger bag closed all the time.
ReplyDeleteInventors are so clever.
ReplyDeleteI had heard this story and I have since thought of it often as we have clinging bits of nature here that are so annoying. But...Velcro is pretty cool. And honestly, it has changed many things since its invention.
ReplyDeleteI often think of Velcro when I see the burdock plants in our garden! They really are incredibly clingy.
ReplyDeleteThere was an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise (Season 2, Episode 2, "Carbon Creek"), it was revealed that the Vulcan T'Mir introduced Velcro to Earth in the 1950s to fund a human's college education. One of the Vulcans in the group was named Mestral.
ReplyDelete