What Velcro does

Velcro Companies is the original inventor and global leader of hook and loop fastener technology, founded by George de Mestral in Switzerland in 1952 with US operations established in Manchester, New Hampshire in 1957. The company's core technology consists of three product platforms - traditional textile hook and loop fasteners, high-technology Continuous Injection Molding (CIM) plastic molded hooks introduced in 1967, and hook-to-hook self-engaging fasteners - supported by more than 2,100 patents granted globally since 1952 and over 350 active patents. Specialized product lines extend the platform into high-temperature stainless steel fasteners (HI-GARDE®, up to 800°F), soft/skin-safe fasteners (SLEEK & THIN™), adhesive-free closures (FLEX-ZONE™), and recyclable packaging closures (PRESS-LOK®), alongside an ECO product line with up to 55% recycled content.

The company operates a global manufacturing footprint spanning the United States (Manchester NH, Somersworth NH, Douglas AZ), Mexico (Agua Prieta, León), Uruguay (Canelones, opened 2015), Spain (Argentona, EMEA headquarters), Belgium (Deinze, acquired from Alfatex in 2015), China (Zhangjiagang, since 1995), and Vietnam, with sales offices and authorized distributor networks reaching 50+ countries. Velcro generates revenue through three primary streams: B2B fastener products sold via direct field sales and authorized distributors to industrial customers across medical, personal care, transportation (automotive seating), data center cable management, footwear and apparel, military and government, packaging, construction, and industrial segments; consumer products sold through thousands of retail stores and the velcro.com e-commerce site; and trademark licensing managed by Velcro IP Holdings LLC. Notable customers and partners include NASA (since 1961 across Apollo, Space Shuttle, and Artemis programs), Huggies/Kimberly-Clark (since 1992 for diaper fastening), ZARA/Inditex and BASF (2024 loopamid® recycled nylon collaboration), and major automotive OEMs.

In May 2026, Arsenal Capital Partners announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake from the Cripps Foundation, expected to close in Q4 2026. The company is led by CEO Gabriella Parisse (since November 2021), with a recently refreshed C-suite including a CTO hired from 3M in September 2024. Approximately 2,400 employees work globally across R&D, manufacturing, sales, and operations, supported by ISO 9001, 14001, 13485, IATF 16949, and BRCGS certifications across multiple facilities.

Name

Velcro

Legal name

Velcro IP Holdings LLC

Website

https://velcro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Velcro Companies is the original inventor and global manufacturer of hook and loop fastening technology, serving B2B customers across medical, automotive, personal care, data center, military, packaging, and industrial sectors, plus consumers through retail and e-commerce channels worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial fastening products

NAICS

Fastener, Button, Needle, and Pin Manufacturing (339993), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Bolts, Nuts, Screws, Rivets & Washers (3452), Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)

akta.pro primary industry

Fasteners & Closures (Zippers/Snaps/Hooks & Eyes/Hook-and-Loop) (IMAOALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bag & Accessory Components/Hardware (Straps, Buckles, Zippers) (CRAAAJAJ)

Keywords

• Hook and loop fasteners
• Industrial fastening solutions
• Consumer organization products
• Medical device fasteners
• Automotive seating fasteners

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Fastener Products: Velcro Companies sells hook and loop fasteners, industrial fasteners, and fastening solutions to businesses across multiple industries including medical, transportation, industrial manufacturing, military, packaging, construction, footwear and apparel, personal care, and data centers. Products are sold through direct sales teams and authorized distributors.
2. Consumer Products: VELCRO® Brand consumer products sold directly to end consumers through retail stores worldwide and e-commerce. Products include organization solutions, home improvement items, crafting products, garden fasteners, electronics organization, and ECO Collection.
3. Licensing and Trademarks: Velcro IP Holdings LLC owns the VELCRO® trademark and patents, licensing the brand and technology to authorized manufacturers and partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Velcro Companies designs, manufactures and sells hook and loop fastening solutions under the VELCRO® brand across B2B industrial markets (medical, personal care, transportation/automotive seating, data center cable management, industrial, military and government, packaging, footwear and apparel, construction) and B2C consumer markets (organization, home improvement, crafting, garden, electronics, HANGables® damage-free hanging). The offering spans textile woven hook and loop, Continuous Injection Molding (CIM) plastic molded hooks, hook-to-hook LOK fasteners, specialty lines such as SLEEK & THIN™, HI-GARDE®, FLEX-ZONE™, PRESS-LOK®, ALFA-LOK®, ONE-WRAP®, and ECO products with recycled content, plus converting services and finished products.

Product overview

Velcro Companies is the inventor and global leader of hook and loop fastener technology, offering a comprehensive portfolio of fastening solutions across consumer, business, and specialty segments. The core product platform consists of traditional textile hook and loop fasteners, high-technology molded hooks (CIM), and hook-to-hook LOK fasteners, supplemented by specialized product lines including SLEEK & THIN™ for apparel, ALFA-LOK® for industrial applications, PRESS-LOK® for packaging, Professional Series for industrial markets, and the ECO Collection/ECO Product Line for sustainable applications. The company serves diverse industries including medical, personal care, transportation (automotive seating), data center cable management, industrial manufacturing, footwear & apparel, military & government, packaging, and construction. Manufacturing is conducted across facilities in the United States, Mexico, Uruguay, Spain, Belgium, and China, with converting services and finished products as added capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VELCRO Brand ONE-WRAP: Self-engaging and adhesive-free tape for bundling applications
• VELCRO Brand PRESS-LOK
• VELCRO Brand HANGables
• VELCRO Brand ALFA-LOK
• VELCRO Brand SLEEK & THIN
• VELCRO Brand ECO Collection
• VELCRO Brand Professional Series
• VELCRO Brand LOGISTRAP
• VELCRO Brand FLEX-ZONE
• VELCRO Brand HI-GARDE
• VELCRO Brand EASY HANG
• VELCRO Brand FERROZONE
• VELCRO Brand VELCOIN

Products and services

• Textile Hook & Loop Traditional woven and knit hook and loop fasteners, the original VELCRO® Brand invention, sold to business customers across industries.
• High Technology Hook Continuous Injection Molding (CIM) plastic molded hook tapes introduced in 1967 for evolving market needs, sold to business customers.
• Hook To Hook LOK Fasteners Self-engaging hook-to-hook fasteners where hook attaches directly to hook, eliminating the need for a loop component, for industrial applications.
• VELCRO® Brand SLEEK & THIN™ Fastener Soft, non-abrasive fastener 60% thinner than traditional woven fasteners with an innovative T-shaped hook, designed for applications close to the skin in footwear and apparel.
• VELCRO® Brand ALFA-LOK® Fastener Among the strongest VELCRO® Brand closures, used as a hook-to-hook fastener for mounting equipment and materials in outdoor or indoor construction and industrial environments.
• VELCRO® Brand Professional Series A group of finished hook and loop products for the industrial market, including high-strength fasteners for demanding applications.
• VELCRO® Brand PRESS-LOK® Closures Hook-to-hook flexible packaging closures with tactile feedback, including fully recyclable PRESS-LOK® 952 and 954 options for packaging manufacturers and brand owners.
• VELCRO® Brand ONE-WRAP® Tape Self-engaging and adhesive-free hook and loop tape for bundling applications, adjustable and reusable, used for cable management and material handling.
• VELCRO® Brand ECO Product Line Eco-friendly hook and loop fastener line made with up to 55% recycled content, including knitted loop tape and HTH molded tapes using 65% recyclable material, for footwear, apparel and consumer markets.
• VELCRO® Brand ECO Collection Consumer-facing eco-friendly product line made with up to 55% recycled content without compromising performance, sold through retail and velcro.com.
• VELCRO® Brand Magnetic Straps Magnetic straps combining magnetic alignment with VELCRO® Brand technology for guided, reusable fastening of tools, cables and equipment on metal surfaces, sold to consumers.
• VELCRO® Brand HANGables® Indoor Light Clips Clear, low-profile string light clips that allow easy hanging without tools or nails, sold to consumers for crafting and decorating applications.
• VELCRO® Brand Industrial Strength High-strength adhesive-backed hook and loop fasteners suitable for outdoor use and demanding consumer applications.
• VELCRO® Brand Extreme Outdoor Adhesive-backed hook and loop fastener designed for outdoor use with durability against weather elements, sold to consumers.
• VELCRO® Brand Garden Ties Eco-friendly garden ties made with recycled content for securing plants and garden applications, sold to consumers.
• VELCRO® Brand Electronics Line Consumer product line for organizing and storing cables and electronic devices at home or in the office, sold in the USA.
• Finished Products Pre-manufactured finished fastener products ready for use across various B2B applications, offered under the VELCRO® Business Solutions portfolio.
• Converting Options Custom converting services that transform VELCRO® Brand hook and loop materials into specific shapes, sizes and formats for B2B customers.
• VELCRO® Brand HI-GARDE® Fastener Stainless steel hook and loop fastener system developed for NASA's Space Shuttle program, withstanding temperatures up to 800°F (427°C) during atmospheric re-entry.
• VELCRO® Brand MID-TEMP Fastener Hook and loop fastener designed for use on the outside of spacecraft capsules, withstanding temperatures up to 450°F (232°C), jam-proof and corrosion resistant.
• VELCRO® Brand Fire Resistant Fasteners Fire-resistant hook and loop tape series designed to meet mission critical environmental conditions of the space program and applications where flames are a possibility.
• VELCRO® Brand LOGISTRAP® Fastener Reusable pallet straps developed to help warehouse professionals reduce labor and scrap when securing goods to pallets.
• VELCRO® Brand FLEX-ZONE™ Fastener Soft, flexible and adhesive-free fastener with hook extruded directly onto the substrate, used for diapers, adult incontinence products and wire harness sleeves in automotive applications.
• VELCRO® Brand EASY HANG™ Straps Easy-to-use straps designed for contractors to store tools and supplies, increasing efficiency on the job.
• VELCRO® Brand FERROZONE™ Automotive seat insert reinforcement fabric contributing to the evolution of transportation seating applications.
• VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners Picking bag liners compatible with HarvestSafe fruit picking bags that reduce cross-contamination and address foodborne illness risks for agricultural producers.
• VELCRO® Brand Mold-in Gasket Generation (MIGG) Hook First coverless fastening solution in the VELCRO® portfolio, reducing automotive seating assembly time and enabling new, narrower seat designs.
• VELCRO® Brand HTH Plastic Hook Tabs Plastic hook tabs first used on Huggies Supreme diapers in 1992, improving comfort, fit and ease of use for personal care products.
• VELCRO® Brand VELCOIN® Dots Converted hook and loop product dots introduced in 1972 in response to new customer demands for ready-to-use fastener formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced automotive seating assembly labor and injury risk with molded hook products replacing wires and hog rings
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles9 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Inditex (ZARA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVelcro Companies collaborated with Inditex to create a jacket under the ZARA brand using loopamid®, the first Polyamide 6 nylon composed entirely from recycled textiles. The jacket features VELCRO® Brand hook and loop fasteners made from 100% recycled textile waste, representing a design for recycling approach.
• NASAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA used VELCRO® Brand fasteners extensively on Apollo missions, including Apollo 11 moon landing. Products secured heat shields, instruments on space suits, boots, watch straps, feeding tubes, breathing apparatus storage, and organized equipment in spacecraft. VELCRO® Brand covered approximately 3,300 square inches of Apollo 11 modules. Custom products were developed including MID-TEMP, HI-GARDE®, and fire-resistant fasteners for space applications.
• BASFcoreTechnology or IntegrationBASF produces loopamid®, the first Polyamide 6 (PA6) nylon composed entirely from recycled textiles, used in VELCRO® Brand hook and loop fasteners for the ZARA jacket collaboration.
• Lobo ProductsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLobo Products uses VELCRO® Brand technology in their HarvestSafe picking bag line, including the 40-lb nylon bag for stone fruit with VELCRO® Brand Picking Bag Liners that reduce cross-contamination.
• Top Employers InstituteminorOthersTop Employers Institute certified Velcro Companies' Agua Prieta, Mexico facility as a Top Employer, recognizing commitment to employees, community, and customers.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• APLIX: APLIX is one of the world's leading manufacturers of hook-and-loop fasteners (also marketed under the "Velcro-compatible" terminology), directly competing with Velcro in woven, molded, and specialty hook-and-loop across industrial, medical, automotive, and consumer segments globally. It is Velcro's closest pure-play direct competitor.
• YKK Corporation: YKK is the global leader in zippers and snap fasteners for apparel, footwear, and industrial applications and increasingly competes in hook-to-hook and self-engaging fasteners for the same OEM customers Velcro serves. Comparable as a multinational closures/fasteners manufacturer with deep OEM integration and a vertically integrated manufacturing footprint.
• Paiho Group: Paiho Group is one of the largest Taiwanese manufacturers of hook-and-loop fasteners and woven narrow fabrics, directly competing with Velcro on price in commodity apparel, footwear, and consumer applications. Comparable as a vertically integrated hook-and-loop manufacturer with global OEM customers and similar converting/finishing capabilities.
• Scovill Fasteners: Scovill manufactures metal and plastic snap fasteners, buttons, and specialty closures for apparel, footwear, and industrial applications, overlapping with Velcro in footwear/apparel closures and OEM integration. Comparable as a fastener specialist serving the same denim, workwear, and footwear brands that also use VELCRO® Brand fasteners.
• Yonghe Group: Yonghe is a major Chinese hook-and-loop fastener manufacturer serving global apparel, footwear, and consumer customers at lower price points than Velcro. Comparable as a direct cost-competitive producer in the same commodity hook-and-loop category where Velcro's foundational patent has long expired.

Broad incumbents

• 3M Company: 3M's Dual Lock™ reclosable fastener and Scotchmate™ hook-and-loop lines compete with Velcro in industrial and automotive applications, and 3M serves as a broader industrial conglomerate touching many of the same end-markets (personal care, automotive, industrial, healthcare). Comparable as a diversified specialty manufacturer with overlapping fastener product lines and similar OEM customer base.
• Illinois Tool Works (ITW): ITW is a diversified industrial manufacturer with multiple fastener and components businesses serving automotive, construction, and industrial OEM customers, overlapping with Velcro's automotive seating, construction, and industrial segments. Comparable as a global industrial conglomerate applying the same 80/20 operating model to fastener-adjacent categories.
• Coats Group: Coats Group is the world's largest industrial thread and textile components manufacturer, serving apparel, footwear, and industrial OEMs with zippers, trims, and fasteners that compete with Velcro in apparel and footwear closures. Comparable as a global textile components supplier with overlapping OEM customers and similar sustainability-driven product evolution (recycled materials).

Emerging players

• HALCO (Haberman Associates / Hook & Loop): HALCO and similar specialty hook-and-loop converters serve niche industrial and consumer markets with converting services, custom shapes, and adhesive-backed products. Comparable as a smaller, more specialized competitor overlapping with Velcro's Converting Options and Finished Products business lines in North America and Europe.

Others

• Dunlop Industrial (protective products / rubber and related fasteners): Dunlop Industrial is a manufacturer of protective equipment, industrial rubber products, and specialty components with adjacency to Velcro's industrial, military, and personal-care customer base. Comparable as an adjacent specialty manufacturer serving similar industrial and military/government end-markets rather than as a direct hook-and-loop competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/velcrobrand
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqdBtar2KyebOtuzyxzoCIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/velcrobrand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/velcro-usa-inc.
• Instagraminstagram.com/velcrobrand
• TikToktiktok.com/@velcrobrand

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Velcro