VELCRO
VELCRO is a brilliant Class 26 example because the mark is closely associated with fastening systems and has become part of everyday language. It gives the page instant recognisability and a strong product-specific anchor. The mark also carries an interesting genericide awareness story.
UK IPO Record
Trademark Classification
Nice Class 26 covers haberdashery. View all Class 26 trademarks and case studies →
Brand History & Trademark Analysis
George de Mestral invented hook-and-loop fastening in Switzerland in 1955, naming it Velcro from the French words "velours" (velvet) and "crochet" (hook). De Mestral's original patents expired in 1978 but the trademark was retained and actively enforced. The Velcro Companies launched a 2017 viral marketing campaign, "Don't Say Velcro", specifically to combat genericisation, featuring videos of company lawyers singing about the importance of using the correct term "hook and loop fastener" for generic products. The campaign itself became a landmark example of a trademark owner's public-facing anti-genericisation strategy.