The inventor of hook & loop fasteners

Many inventions are discovered by accident. Something happens or people see something and an idea is created. This also happened when hook and loop was invented. A Swiss man named Georges De Mestral regularly took walks. A plant, with the name burdock, also grew in his walking area. This plant is covered with tiny hooks that can easily stick to fur and clothing.

As owners of dogs and cats may recognize, he was amazed at how difficult it was to get the burrs out of his own clothes and the fur of his dog.

Patented closure system

While studying the burrs, he saw that they were covered with small hooks, which made them difficult to remove. This gave him the idea to make a fastener from it. After many years of development, he patented the closure system in 1951. It turned out to be a huge success and a new fastener was born. The patent came to an end in 1978. In 1990, the inventor of hook and loop passed away.

The endless possibilities of hook and loop

Today, it is impossible to imagine a world without hook and loop. The closure system has undergone enormous developments. The applications are endless. As a closure and fastening system it has many advantages. It is lightweight, increases productivity, is easy to remove and the application is simple and often increases safety. Hook and loop systems create flexibility, no drying times and low maintenance.

New hook and loop developments are still taking place. As markets change the closure is being used more and more due to the ever higher quality and innovations in the field of materials.

Hoook® fasteners certainly contribute to this. We are at the forefront of technology, creativity and quality. We continue to develop and we are happy to do that together with you, our customers.