George de Mestral () was a Swiss electrical engineer who invented the hook and loop fastener which he named Velcro.

Biography

He was born to Albert de Mestral, an agronomist engineer, and Marthe de Goumoëns in Saint Saphorin sur Morges, near Lausanne, Switzerland. De Mestral designed and patented a toy airplane at age twelve. He attended the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). After graduation in 1930, he worked in the machine shop of an engineering company. He went for his favorite hobby of hunting and when he came back he discovered that his dog was covered with burs that had attached themselves to its fur. He then worked on inventing hook and loop fasteners for ten years starting in 1948. In 1955, he successfully patented hook and loop, eventually selling 60 million yards (about 55,000 km) a year through a multimillion-dollar company.

He made additional inventions, and his wife said that his asparagus peeler was <nowiki></nowiki>one stupid little thing that sold very well."

Marriage

De Mestral was married three times: in 1932 to Jeanne Schnyder (two sons: Henri and François), in 1949 to Monique Panchaud de Bottens, onetime fiancée of James Bond creator Ian Fleming (one son: Charles), and Helen Mary Dale. On his father's death in 1966, de Mestral inherited the family home in Saint Saphorin sur Morges, château Saint-Saphorin-sur-Morges (Mestral Castle).

Death

thumb|The grave in Commugny

De Mestral died in Commugny, Switzerland, where he is buried. The municipality posthumously named an avenue, L'avenue George de Mestral, in his honour.

Honors and awards

He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1999 for inventing hook and loop fasteners.

  • He was made "Bourgeois d'Honneur" of Commugny.
  • Honorary Member of the "Société Vaudoise des Ingénieurs et Architectes"
  • Recipient of the French medal "Société d'Encouragement au Progrès"

Invention of hook and loop

thumb|A microscopic view of a Burdock hook

thumb|Velcro, the invention for which de Mestral is famous

De Mestral first conceptualised hook and loop after returning from a hunting trip with his dog in the Alps in 1941. After removing several of the burdock burrs (seeds) that kept sticking to his clothes and his dog's fur, he became curious as to how it worked. He examined them under a microscope, and noted hundreds of "hooks" that caught on anything with a loop, such as clothing, animal fur, or hair. He saw the possibility of binding two materials reversibly in a simple fashion, The first notable use for Velcro® brand hook and loop came in the aerospace industry, where it helped astronauts manoeuvre in and out of bulky space suits. Eventually, skiers noted the similar advantages of a suit that was easier to get in and out of. Scuba and marine gear followed soon after.

References

  • "Le château de Saint Saphorin sur Morges" at Swiss Castles
  • Short biography at National Inventors Hall of Fame
  • New York Times Obituary written by Reuters