Like all the best ideas, Velcro was invented whilst walking the dog. A Swiss dude noticed burrs stuck to his dogs coat, he examined them under a microscope and saw the burr was covered in microscopic hooks. This became the basis for Velcro as we know it today, one side consisting of tiny hooks, the other tiny loops. There are many variations of the original brand name Velcro and the name has become synonymous with hook and loop fastenings.