Velcro Velcro Velcro BVBA is a privately held company that produces fasteners and other products. It is known for being the original patentor of the hook-and-loop fastener, to which it has (over its objections) lent the generic name "velcro." Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral invented his first touch fastener when, in 1941, he went for a walk in the woods and wondered why Burdock seeds clung to his coat and dog. He discovered it could be turned into something useful. He patented it in 1955 and subsequently refined and developed its practical manufacture until its commercial introduction in the late
Armand de Mestral Armand de Mestral Armand de Mestral, (born 17 November 1941) is a Canadian academic and international arbitration expert. Born in Montreal, Quebec, de Mestral is a law professor at the McGill University and an expert in international law. He also teaches courses on constitutional law and the law of the European Union. He has an undergraduate and master's degree from Harvard University, a law degree from McGill University, as well as honorary doctorates from Université de Lyon and Kwansei Gakuin University. He also served a term as president of the Canadian Red Cross. He was made member of the Order