Tagged with 'monofilament'

Hook and loop fasteners consist of two distinct pieces. The rough, scratchy side is the hook because it is covered with several tiny hooks per square inch. Likewise, the soft, fuzzy side is the loop because it is covered with many small loops. The hooks engage the loops when the two sides are pressed together. This creates a bond that is exceptionally strong and allows for repeated use that lasts for thousands of cycles.

Hook and loop is a product better known by the term VELCRO®. VELCRO® is actually the name of the company that first designed and created these fasteners. The product name is hook and loop, and it has an interesting history.

George de Mestral developed the idea in the 1940s. After a hunting trip, he studied the burrs that stuck to his clothing and noticed tiny hooks that latched onto the loops in fabric and other surfaces. De Mestral imagined making a fastener from two pieces of material, using hooks on one piece and loops on another.