VELCRO® Brand fasteners are the original hook and loop fastener and have been used for applications as delicate as baby diapers and rugged as securing roof membranes. This is because they have been proven to be easy to use, reduce damage and injury to users and won’t break down as many of the mechanical fasteners do. They’re also soft and flexible to maximize comfort and lightweight to reduce product bulk and weight.
With these features in mind, it’s an easy choice to opt for VELCRO® Brand hook & loop fasteners to support your next cutting-edge product design. What may not be as straight forward is deciding which product type is meant for you. Here is an overview on three of our major product categories to help you identify which type of VELCRO® Brand product is best for you.
Textile Hook & Loop – the Original Type of VELCRO® Brand Fastener
VELCRO® Brand textile fasteners are the longest serving products in our portfolio. They are commonly made from polyester or nylon and can be sewn on or attached with adhesive. These are the types of fasteners with the longer, curved hooks and the fuzzy loops paired with it.
Textile fasteners are highly versatile for application usage. They have a relatively high cycle life so they are great for applications that will require them to be opened repeatedly. This means they are great for footwear & apparel products, medical devices such as blood pressure cuffs and orthopedic braces and consumer products such as sewing and design kits and tools for garage organization.
High Technology Hooks – Smooth, Low-Profile Closures
VELCRO® Brand High Technology Hooks (HTH) are a more recent development compared to our textile hook & loop. This category includes low profile hooks that are paired with knit loops and are much softer to the touch than textile closures. They have a medium to low cycle life, meaning they can be used in projects that require occasional or infrequent opening and closing.
Since they are softer to the touch, they are designed for applications that are closer to the skin such as baby diapers, wearables and medical devices. Certain product types can also be designed with a lower cycle life so they can be used in more demanding environments such as equipment mounting, installing roof membranes, solar panels and securing reusable dunnage.
This family includes a stronger type VELCRO® Brand closure that are intended for more rugged spaces such as handling wire harnesses and seat trim attachments in automotive applications.
Mushroom Hooks – Made for your most Demanding Applications
VELCRO® Brand mushroom hooks are very rigid, hook to hook closures that audibly snap when they are secured. These are some of our most rugged fasteners and are designed for extreme temperatures indoors and out. The rigid mushroom shaped hooks will stay secured better than textile or HTH when exposed to moisture, dust or vibration.
Since they have a low cycle life, they are intended for the most demanding circumstances. They are primarily used for industrial and construction applications to secure paneling, outdoor signage and devices and interior structures for automobiles, mass transit and marine vessels.
There are thousands of uses for VELCRO® Brand hook & loop fasteners. Our product selection isn’t limited just to these three categories. We’re always listening to our customers and researching new fastening technologies to align with their evolving needs. Contact us to learn how we can identify a custom type of VELCRO® Brand closure specifically made for your project using locally-sourced goods.
