How is Velcro Used on Earth?

Velcro is one of the most versatile clothing fasteners in use today.

Velcro was inspired by nature and made famous by NASA, but most of us now associate the hook and loop fastener with more Earthly uses. What may surprise many is how versatile it has proven among those uses, which have allowed it to serve a near-endless variety of human needs.

Clothing

Velcro is widely used as an alternative to shoe laces, especially in children's shoes.

For many, Velcro comes into use early in life as a simple fastener for children. It it a common substitute for laces in children's shoes during the period before they learn to tie laces. Velcro finds other childhood applications as a replacement for zippers and buttons on regular clothing, particularly for infants and toddlers. Further use in early childhood includes fastening diapers.

While its use in shoes was originally meant for young children, its convenience has allowed it to spread to footwear for all ages, particularly sandals and running shoes.

Velcro clothing has found further use in independent, or adaptive, living. Elderly, infirm and disabled people who have difficulty using buttons, snaps, zippers and laces are able to use Velcro as a substitute for those things, granting them both convenience and dignity.

Military Use

Velcro is a major source of military supplies.

Just as the government used Velcro heavily in the space program, they have put it to great use in the military. Military uniforms are often covered in the product, which is used to attach things like unit and rank patches as well as more basic uses such as fastening jackets and vests closed.

This has led to the secret development of "silent" Velcro, which opens with a 95 percent reduction in sound to avoid giving troop locations away.

While it has difficulty working optimally in desert environments where sand and dust can "clog" it, Velcro remains a significant supplier of military products, from clothing to securing luggage in vehicles.

Vehicles

Military vehicles are not the only ones to use Velcro. The fastener has found use in civilian vehicles as well. These uses include securing seat and steering wheel covers and floor mats. Modern electronic devices such as MP3 players and phones are often fixed in place with Velcro to avoid the dangerous habit of searching for them while on the road.

In the Home

Velcro can be used to hold down rugs and temporarily hold carpeting in place during installation. It comes in handy with carpeting by allowing temporary covers to be held in place during painting and remodeling.

Recreation

Velcro jumping gives the product one of its stranger uses.

People have found ways to have fun with Velcro. Super Grip, a variation on catch played with a tennis ball and a mitt covered in Velcro, is a popular picnic game.

A more extreme recreational use is Velcro jumping, in which people wear Velcro-covered suits and compete by taking running jumps to hurl themselves as high as possible onto Velcro-covered walls.

References

• Velcro: Consumer Products
• iTapeStore; Velcro USA INC. Celecbrates 50TH Anniversary; 2007
• ShoeBuy: Velcro Sandals
• Time US; A Brief History of: Velcro; Claire Suddath; June 2010
• "Dr. Joe & What You Didn't Know: 177 Fascinating Questions & Answers About the Chemistry of Everyday Life"; Joe Schwarcz; 2003