Book 1, Question 116
How Does Velcro Stick? Tiny Hooks and Loops!
Velcro sticks using hooks and loops. One side is covered with tiny stiff hooks, and the other side has tiny soft loops, and the hooks catch the loops until you peel them apart. The idea came from burrs stuck on clothes: a scientist noticed the tiny hooks on burrs clinging to fabric, and that sparked Velcro. Look closely at a burr on a sock and sketch the hooks you see.
More fun facts
- Velcro was invented by Swiss engineer George de Mestral, who got the idea while out hiking with his dog.
- He and his dog came home covered in burrs, the prickly seed pods of a plant.
- Under a microscope, he saw that each burr had tiny hooks that grabbed loops in his clothes and strands of his dog's fur.
- Burr hooks help plants spread their seeds far and wide by hitching rides on animals.
- The name Velcro mixes two French words: velours, meaning velvet, and crochet, meaning hooks.
- Nylon turned out to be better than cotton for making the tiny hooks.
- When Velcro first came out, it flopped in fashion. Astronauts liked it, because it kept items from floating away.
- Velcro is a famous example of biomimicry, which means copying ideas from nature.
Sources: MIT, Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Who invented Velcro?
Swiss engineer George de Mestral, inspired by burrs stuck to his dog's fur.
Where does the name Velcro come from?
From the French words velours (velvet) and crochet (hooks).