Georges De Mestral

Born in Nyon , near Lausanne , Switzerland , de Mestral designed a toy airplane at age twelve and patented it. He attended the École Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne . After graduation he worked in the machine shop of an engineering company. In his spare time he was an amateur Mountaineer , and while he was enjoying the outdoors, Burr s often got stuck to his wool hunting pants and his dog's fur. Microscopic inspection of the burrs provided inspiration for the invention of a new fastener. Despite initial public resistance to his idea, he began his own company and in 1951 he successfully patented Velcro , selling 60 million yards (about 55 000 km) a year. It was a multi-million dollar company.

On his father's death in 1966 , de Mestral inherited the family home, the Swiss Castle of Saint Saphorin sur Morges. He died in Commugny , Switzerland.

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Georges De Mestral

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