Over 70 years ago, the Swiss citizen George de Mestral invented the Velcro fastener. His innovation was even used during the first moon landing and is still part of everyday life today. Part three of our series on Swiss inventions featured on postage stamps.
The burdock gave the inventor the idea for Velcro. Image: iStock
We find Velcro on training shoes, functional jackets, bags, etc. It is so much part of our everyday lives that we hardly notice it any more. That is probably the greatest recognition for an invention.
It all began in the 1940s. George de Mestral, a citizen of Vaud with an engineering degree from EPFL Lausanne, was a passionate hunter in his spare time. One evening, as he returned home from hunting with his dog, he noticed that small green burrs were stuck to his trouser legs and to the fur of his four-legged friend.
The curious engineer placed the burdock (Arctium lappa) burrs under the microscope. He saw that elastic barbs were responsible for the burrs sticking to his clothes. Recognising the potential for a new kind of fastening, he spent months tinkering in his workshop to find the perfect solution. The result was a hook strap and a loop strap that interlocked. And so the Velcro fastener was born.
The patent drawing for the 1951 application. At the top are the hooks, which engage with the loops when they come into contact with them.
Invention protected
On 22 October 1951, he applied for a patent for his invention in Switzerland. This gave him exclusive rights of use for up to 20 years. In return, he disclosed in the patent specification how the fastener worked. This meant that future developments could build on his knowledge. Patent law still works according to this principle today: you get temporary protection for your invention in return for sharing your knowledge with society.
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The inventor George de Mestral on the website of the company Velcro.
Houston, we have a Velcro fastener
The Velcro fastener was also on board during the first moon landing on 20 July 1969. Among other things, it was used on the astronauts’ space suits. The moon mission marked Velcro’s commercial breakthrough. It was generally felt that anything that works during a moon landing must be good.
George de Mestral died in 1990 at the age of 82. His innovation didn’t make him rich (that’s another story). But with a little help from Mother Nature, he’d created a classic invention for everyday use. His son continues to honour his father’s legacy, holding on to his notebooks.
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Velcro has also made it into outer space: it was used during the first moon landing. You can see it here on the back of the rucksack. Photo: NASA
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Swiss Post’s stamp in honour of Velcro. Note the amusing detail: a patch of Velcro stuck to the stamp. Photo: Post
Swiss inventions on stamps: the background story
Swiss Post has dedicated a stamp to the inventor of the toilet duck. It appeared in September 2025, and was the fifth stamp featuring a Swiss invention. The first four inventions were the garlic press, Menzi Muck diggers, Velcro fasteners and Barryvox avalanche transceivers. We’re dedicating a story to each of these legendary innovations.
Previous blogposts:
1. Toilet duck 2. Garlic press
3. Menzi Muck (walking excavator)
“Swiss themes, especially ‘Swissness’, are very popular with our target group – collectors and philatelists. In combination with the theme of inventions, this helps to draw attention to Switzerland as a country of inventors,” wrote Swiss Post in response to a query from the IPI.
The five inventions were selected during a brainstorming session. “The aim was to showcase the diversity and richness of Swiss inventions while covering our target group’s wide-ranging areas of interest.”
The toilet duck completes the stamp series for the time being. So Swiss Post has compiled a folder containing all the stamps issued to date that feature Swiss inventions.