We all had to long and often unsuccessfully tinker with a naughty button or a deformed button-clasp on the jacket. These awkward moments spoil the mood, take precious minutes, which is especially unpleasant when you have to rush to work, school or just for business. In many ways, this problem was solved when Velcro textile tape was invented. In everyday life, it has a different name, namely, Velcro for clothes. However, the use of Velcro does not end solely with clothing - it also found itself as an element of shoes, bags, travel and sports equipment, curtains and even furniture.
What it is?
It is difficult to meet a person living in the modern world who would never have had to deal with such an invention as Velcro tape. What is this element familiar to many of us?
Velcro tape is a textile strip that can be of different colors and widths, it consists of two parts that interlock with each other due to the special structure of its surface. One of the halves is a rigid tape, covered with tenacious miniature hooks, they can have different shapes and structures. Their ending is somewhat reminiscent of fishing hooks, they are as varied as tackles, because they consist of one, two or even four twisted ends.
The second half of the kit, on the contrary, is a soft strip consisting of loops, thanks to which the Velcro for clothes securely fastens what needs to be connected. Even the minimal contact of the two “Velcro” halves provides adhesion, sometimes so reliable that it is quite difficult to break the “stuck together” parts.
Velcro is useful everywhere and everyone
Of course, the widest area in which Velcro is used is for clothing. Most often these are jackets, down jackets, windcheaters, tracksuits. Using the tape, the width of the cuffs and trousers is fixed, pockets, valves and floors of clothes are closed (it acts as an additional fastener).
It is completely justified that Velcro is an integral element of everyday, sports and children's clothing. The fact is that its base is a rigid nylon tape. Velcro is sewn on the inside, on the outside it will look rather rough, besides it is unsuitable for thin fabrics due to the fact that it will wrinkle them and form sloppy folds.
In shoes, it has become a great alternative to laces, which is especially important for children. In the furniture industry, Velcro is used to create sofas and armchairs, it fixes pillows, armrests or even upholstery. Recently, Velcro tape has been actively replacing uncomfortable hooks and loops for attaching curtains and tulle to cornices.
How to choose a tape?
When making a choice, the buyer must clearly know for what purpose he acquires Velcro. The textile Velcro tape, presented in the stores of sewing goods and accessories, is different. First of all, its color is different. You can easily find white, black, gray, blue, red Velcro. A little less often sellers sell khaki ribbon , pink, light green or blue Velcro are equally rare.
Another important factor is the size of the Velcro. Manufacturers supply 25 m rolls to retail chains, and they, in turn, sell tapes per meter, the price is set for 1 meter per line, and it directly depends on its width. So, a wide Velcro is a five-centimeter tape, a narrower option is 2 and 1 cm. Of course, the Velcro can be cut into pieces, because its base is a non-flowing synthetic material, but during production its edges are processed with a narrow edge along which the tape is sewn to product. The creators do not recommend laying the line directly on the hooks and loops, as this deforms them and helps to reduce their grip. There are also Velcro cut out in a certain form - circles, squares and rectangles. The principle of their work is exactly the same as that of the tape, but they can be attached with rivets or glue.
Installation method
The last but very important difference that characterizes Velcro textile tape is how it is attached to the products. Velcro for clothes is often just sewn on, that is, it does not contain a sticky base. There are also samples that are treated with special hot-melt adhesives on the back side, they activate their effect after heating. Such a tape can be attached not only to fabrics, but also to metal, plastic, wood, glass.
The thermal tape is fixed to the surfaces very reliably, it withstands washing and a wide temperature range (from -10 to + 60 degrees Celsius). Such characteristics are especially important for clothing and footwear for special purposes (tourism, military, industrial, sports).
Care, replacement and precautions
The great advantage of adhesive tape is that it does not require very careful handling. Shoes and clothes with Velcro can be washed, she is not afraid of even the most severe weather conditions, that is, she will faithfully serve both in winter and in summer.
The only caveat is that sometimes Velcro is damaged mechanically. Its soft side is stretched, loops do not cling to hooks due to stretching or tearing. The hard side can become clogged with dust, thread and pile. You can try to clean the tape from debris, but it would be wiser to replace it with a new one, just repel the worn part and sew on the old place a working, not damaged Velcro.