The tiny hooks were looping through the fabric of his pants. Since they were so hard to remove, he wondered if he could recreate the same idea into an effective clothing fastener. That’s why nylon is used to make some types of clothing, toothbrushes, rope, and parachutes in addition to velcro.

While velcro isn’t directly toxic to humans, the creation of it could cause some long-term effects with the potential to harm both humans and the environment. Is Velcro Flammable?

VELCRO® Brand Sew On – 5cm

The vinyl was easy to extract and recycle, but what was left over was a mixture of nylon and polyester which was difficult to separate and transport. But the point is that the Apollo 1 fire led the way for change in the way that velcro was produced. They are a good eco-friendly fastener choice that isn’t velcro. 3. Eco Snap Fasteners by Prym Fashion In fact, there were large concerns about the flammability of velcro with regard to the fire that happened on the Apollo 1 spacecraft. But, that’s with the assumption that you’re going to use velcro as intended and not try to melt or burn it.

While this is not the most ideal solution because it adds more trash to landfills, there really isn’t any other way we can dispose of it. The Velcro company does claim to be looking for ways to develop products that minimize negative impacts on the environment. Nylon is a very strong and stiff type of plastic, which is why it was an ideal material to use for velcro. This form of anchoring can be exploited for in situ monitoring of the plant's microclimate, such as temperature, humidity and light, or for the controlled release of molecules into the plant'svascular system," Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) researcher and lead author Isabella Fiorello explained.

It is made of two separate sides, with one side containing hooks while the other side is made up of tiny loops.

It’s a bit like a nicotine patch for plants, but with even more potential functionality, like being able to monitor plant health. But as more companies are able to create other forms of eco-friendly fasteners, hopefully the development of a more eco-friendly version of velcro is not too far off in the future. You Might Also Like… Of course, if the velcro is attached to clothing or another textile and is still in good condition, you can always donate the clothing to an organization that will provide it for others who could use it. 3 Eco Friendly Alternatives To Velcro 1. Velcro Brand ECO Collection Being synthetic usually means that the main product used to make it is petroleum, which comes from crude oil, or other chemicals.

VELCRO® Brand Sew On 2cm

They also offer a few other products in their ECO line that are designed primarily for use in the textiles and footwear industry. 2. Natulon Zipper by YKK They finally found a company that could make use of the nylon and polyester mixture, using it to help create recycled plastic lumber.

The ecoWhite snap fasteners are made from recycled plastic bottles and reduce the use of crude oil, while the ecoGreen fasteners are made from plant-based sources and are biodegradable. Conclusion And being made of a type of plastic means that velcro is more flammable than other materials due to the chemicals used to make plastic. That means that the products used to create could eventually run out because they can’t be replaced at the same rate as renewable resources.Since velcro is made of nylon and is essentially a type of plastic, it is not eco-friendly either. Is Velcro Sustainable? Since nylon is made from the same chemicals as other types of plastic, nylon is essentially a type of plastic. NASA reduced their use of flammable velcro, which meant that manufacturers needed to find a way to make velcro less flammable. Hopefully, manufacturers of velcro can find a material that is just as practical but more sustainable than synthetic nylon that they can make their product out of. Is Velcro Biodegradable? Since velcro can’t be recycled by you and me, the best way to dispose of it is to just throw it away with the rest of your waste.