INDEX: Velcro Store Fixtures / Velcro Display Merchandising Fixtures

INDEX:
Velcro Store Fixtures
and Velcro Display Merchandising Fixtures

Velcro Store Fixtures And Velcro Merchandising

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This Velcro Store Fixtures and Velcro Display Merchandising Fixtures
index page aggregates links
to all post and photos of retail merchandising, display, and outfitting
as well as deep Background courtesy of Wikipedia.

BACKSTORY: Velcro Companies is a privately held company that produces a series of mechanical based fastening products, including fabric hook and loop fasteners, under the brand 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 cling to his coat and dog. He discovered it could be turned into something useful.^[1] He patented it in 1955 and subsequently refined and developed its practical manufacture until its commercial introduction in the late 1950s.

The fastener consisted of two components: a lineal fabric strip with tiny hooks that could “mate” with another fabric strip with smaller loops, attaching temporarily, until pulled apart.^[2] Initially made of cotton, which proved impractical,^[3] the fastener was eventually constructed with nylon and polyester.^[4] (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

De Mestral gave the name Velcro, a portmanteau of the French words velour (“velvet”) and crochet (“hook”),^[5]^[6] to his invention as well as his company, which continues to manufacture and market the fastening system.

BACKSTORY: Hook-and-loop fasteners, hook-and-pile fasteners or touch fasteners, consist of two components: typically, two lineal fabric strips (or, alternatively, round “dots” or squares) which are attached (sewn or otherwise adhered) to the opposing surfaces to be fastened. The first component features tiny hooks; the second features even smaller and “hairier” loops. When the two components are pressed together, the hooks catch in the loops and the two pieces fasten or bind temporarily during the time that they are pressed together. When separated, by pulling or peeling the two surfaces apart, the strips make a distinctive “ripping” sound. Hook and loop fasteners are often referred to by the genericized trademark “Velcro.”

Various constructions and strengths are available. Fasteners made of Teflon loops, polyester hooks, and glass backing are used in aerospace applications, e.g. on Space Shuttles. The strength of the bond depends on how well the hooks are embedded in the loops, how much surface area is in contact with the hooks, and the nature of the force pulling it apart. If hook-and-loop is used to bond two rigid surfaces, such as auto body panels and frame, the bond is particularly strong because any force pulling the pieces apart is spread evenly across all hooks. Also, any force pushing the pieces together is disproportionately applied to engaging more hooks and loops. Vibration can cause rigid pieces to improve their bond. Full-body hook-and-loop suits have been made that can hold a person to a suitably covered wall.

When one or both of the pieces is flexible, e.g., a pocket flap, the pieces can be pulled apart with a peeling action that applies the force to relatively few hooks at a time. If a flexible piece is pulled in a direction parallel to the plane of the surface, then the force is spread evenly, as it is with rigid pieces.

Three ways to maximize the strength of a bond between the two flexible pieces are:

Increase the area of the bond, e.g. using larger pieces.
Ensure that the force is applied parallel to the plane of the fastener surface, such as bending around a corner or pulley.
Increase the number of hooks and loops per area unit.

Shoe closures can resist a large force with only a small amount of hook-and-loop fasteners. This is because the strap is wrapped through a slot, halving the force on the bond by acting as a pulley system (thus gaining a mechanical advantage), and further absorbing some of the force in friction around the tight bend. This layout also ensures that the force is parallel to the strips.

Hook-and-loop fasteners are safe and maintenance free. There is only a minimal decline in effectiveness even after many fastenings and unfastenings. The tearing noise it makes can also be useful against pickpockets. This loud noise can also prove to be a liability, in particular on military attire such as the United States Army‘s Army Combat Uniform, where it can attract unwanted attention in a battlefield environment.

There are also some deficiencies: it tends to accumulate hair, dust, and fur in its hooks after a few months of regular use. The loops can become elongated or broken after extended use. The hooks often become attached to articles of clothing, especially loosely woven items like sweaters. This clothing may be damaged when one attempts to remove the hook-and-loop, even if the sides are separated slowly. It also absorbs moisture and perspiration when worn next to the skin, which means it will smell if not washed. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)

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