Velcro, a product first invented and popularized by a Swiss engineer George De Mestral and his eponymous company, has become synonymous for all hook and loop fasterner methods, so much so that evenever we see such and method employed to attach two things, we assume it to be “Velco”. Velcro has transitioned from being a company’s name to be the defining name for such brand of fasteners.
What are the applications of Velcro?
Velcro can be used anywhere where a temporary bond or bind is required to be made, which includes but is not limited to – shoes, cloths, bags, banners, straps, etc. It even has application in medical field and space missions( widely used in anchoring tools and space suits).
Basically, it can be purposed for any job which can be done by glue, zippers, and buttons.
Advantages of Velcro
- It’s easy to engage, no need to button, pull the zipper or waiting for the glue to dry, just slap two counterparts of Velcro upon each other and its done.
- It’s relatively quick to disengage, just one firm pull is needed, this application makes it immensely important in space suits and attaching name tags on cloths Whereas, several common like buttons and pins take a long time to be undone.
- Provides fastening methods, where traditional methods cannot be used such as in space, where there is no air for the glue to dry off or in the extreme cold where a zipper won’t move.
The only disadvantage is that it does not provide as strong bong as glue or zipper, but since it is used for temporary bind, it is a disadvantage that doesn’t matter much. So if one is interested in buying Velcro, there are several companies that sell custom velcro patches, tailor made according to your specifications. So go ahead, enjoy the wonders of Velcro.