George de Mestral

George de Mestral is not a person whose identity is known by many people. However, he is a renaissance person because you are probably affected by his invention, and it is most likely in your house.

George de Mestral

As a boy, Mestral enjoyed thinking of new creations and ideas. One of his ideas was a new type of model airplane, and he got it patented when he was twelve (Stephens). He was also a big fan of being outside and taking walks. Those are hobbies that he liked throughout his whole life.

One day he was outside taking his dog for a hike in the woods. Soon he came back and his dog's fur and his own pants were covered in burrs. Mestral studied the burrs on his pants through a microscope ("This Month in Physics History"). He had the idea for Velcro.

He had his idea patented on September 13, 1955. At first some people laughed at the Velcro, but soon it became a hit and it still is today. Sixty million yards of it are sold in one year, and it is a multi-million dollar industry (Bellis). The name Velcro comes from velour(velvet) and crochet(hook) ("This Month in Physics History").

George de Mestral

Mestral isn't too famous, but his invention is used by many people. It's in scuba suits, aerospace supplies, ski wear, shoes, clothes, and much more. He is a renaissance person because he improved previous inventions to make something new. He did this many years ago, and you'll find Velcro in almost every house around here (Stephens).