VELCRO®, that ubiquitous fastening system found in everything from sneakers to spacecraft, not only revolutionized how we connect materials, but is also prime example of biomimicry–the art of imitating nature to solve human problems. And it all started with a dog. 

Swiss engineer Georges de Mestral had a penchant for invention early on. He designed and patented a toy airplane at the age of 12, says Dorna Schroeter, author of the children’s book How An Idea From Nature Changed Our World: The Story of Velcro and retired biomimicry and sustainability educator. 

Fast-forward to his 30s, and his inquisitiveness led to a groundbreaking discovery in 1941 during a hunting trip in the Alpine countryside. While brushing his dog’s fur afterward, he noticed burrs from a burdock plant clinging to his pants and the animal’s coat. Curious, he put the burrs under a microscope. 

“He found that a burr was covered in thousands of tiny hooks, which allowed it to firmly cling to his clothing and his dog’s coat,” says Rini Paiva, executive vice president for selection and recognition for the National Inventors Hall of Fame. “Seeing the efficiency of the burr’s hooks, de Mestral was inspired to apply the same kind of design to develop a product.”

According to the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, the hooks on the burrs “looked like a monster’s mouthful of spiked fangs,” and, realizing he could create a fabric fastener that acted like the burrs, de Mestral soon began experimenting with how to replicate the mechanism artificially using small hooks and loops.

At first, few people took de Mestral seriously. It wasn’t until he collaborated with a French textile manufacturer that his idea began to take shape. Initially, Schroeter says, they used cotton, but it wore out too quickly. Through trial and error, they discovered nylon was durable “and would hold up to this pulling apart and separating and putting together.” She adds that he designed a loom to make loops and then trimmed the tops off some with scissors to create the hooks. 

It took nearly a decade to perfect the design and receive a patent for his invention of VELCRO^®, which is a combination of the French words “velours” (velvet) and “crochet” (hook) in 1955. 

While the word “velcro” has become synonymous with the reusable hook and loop fastener, such as Kleenex for tissues, it’s a brand name, not a generic term. In fact, the company has pleaded with people to not use the term "velcro," unless referring specifically to their brand. As they say in a 'Don't Say Velcro' campaign, launched in 2017, "please, do not say 'velcro shoes' (or 'velcro wallet' or 'velcro gloves')—we repeat 'velcro' is not a noun or a verb. VELCRO^® is our brand."

At first, there wasn’t a lot of interest in the product, but the hook-and-loop design caught NASA’s eye in the early 1960s, particularly for securing items in zero gravity. It soon became a crucial part of the Apollo missions during the space race, used to fasten equipment and clothing aboard spacecraft. 

“NASA used the fasteners for keeping objects securely attached to walls while a spacecraft floats in orbit, and attaching equipment to astronauts' suits,” Paiva says. 

According to the space agency, Apollo 15, 16 and 17 crews had snack pouches and drink bags secured with VELCRO^® inside the neck rings of their suits to get them through the eight-hour spacewalks. “Some of the astronauts had small patches of VELCRO^® on the inside of the emergency feedport for nose scratching,” NASA states. 

NASA’s endorsement sparked public interest, and VELCRO^® soon became a household name. Schroeter says the skiing and scuba industries quickly picked up on it, and its use spread. Today, the fastening system is used in everyday items, including clothing, sneakers, sports gear, hospital equipment, military gear, diapers and even in cars and aircraft. In 1990, de Mestral was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. 

It’s also had its pop culture moments. One of the most iconic took place in 1984 when David Letterman donned a suit with fasteners on his Late Night With David Letterman talk show. In a memorable stunt, he jumped off a mini trampoline and stuck himself to a wall of hooks. The gag likely inspired a "velcro wall-jumping" contest trend, The New York Times reported in 1992.

De Mestral invented other items as well. “There was one stupid little thing that sold very well,” his wife told The New York Times upon his death at age 82 in 1990. “An asparagus peeler.”

“There’s a quote from Steve Jobs that says, ‘the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology,’ and VELCRO^® is an example of that,” Schroeter says. “It’s amazing that something so small and annoying as a burdock seed inspired something that made its way all the way to the moon.”