George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, invented Velcro after taking his dog for a walk and noticing how burdock seeds (burrs) stuck to his dog's fur and his own wool trousers. Upon examining a burr under a microscope, he saw hundreds of tiny hooks that could catch onto any loop of hair or fabric. He spent years trying to replicate this 'hook and loop' system using synthetic materials, eventually settling on nylon. The name Velcro is a portmanteau of 'velours' (velvet) and 'crochet' (hook). While slow to gain popularity in fashion, it became a massive success after being used by NASA to help astronauts secure equipment in zero gravity. It is now a ubiquitous fastener in everything from children's shoes and medical braces to automotive upholstery.