Summer Hike Inspires VELCRO

The invention of VELCRO, patented in 1955, was inspired by a summer hike made by Swiss amateur mountaineer George de Mestral and his dog. When the two returned home, covered with burrs, de Mestral vowed that he would create a fabric that mimicked the sticky seed-sacs. His name for the invention comes from the combination of the words velour and crochet.