ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Swiss engineer George de Mestral returned from a hunting trip annoyed by burrs stuck to his dog's coat and examined the hooks under a microscope, imagining a reusable fastener.
What happened
De Mestral patented Velcro in 1955, combining the French words "velours" and "crochet" for the hook-and-loop system he developed after years of refining nylon hooks and loops.
Why it still matters
Velcro appeared on shoes, jackets, astronaut suits, and pediatric shoes, becoming one of the twentieth century's most copied fasteners. Memorable detail: NASA used Velcro in spacesuits and capsules to keep tools from floating away.
Background
Hook-and-loop fasteners later appeared on shoes and astronaut suits.