Stephen Ira

SEO Auditor

Stephen Ira worked as an inventor for a small manufacturing company where he developed several patents that included Velcro® brand products which led to his founding of HookandLoop.com in 1989, distributing Velcro® brand fasteners across the country. Stephen’s company has grown into a business that specializes in manufacturing hook and loop products that are used in the final products in many industries around the world. Stephen is a graduate of the University of Memphis with a BS degree in mechanical engineering and specialized in machine design and solar engineering. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida where he enjoys an avid outdoor lifestyle and spending time with his two daughters.

Embroidery on Webbing

Updated On: Nov 21, 2023

Posted By: Stephen Ira

Embroidery is a process of stitching a design or decoration into a material. We offer this capability on our webbing because the hook and loop does not allow for ease of function when embroidered. Stitching on hook and loop limits its usefulness. We often sew hook and loop, but that is done to provide a strong hold or reinforce the material. The stitching in those instances is done on the outer portions of the hook and loop, mostly in the selvage edge where no hook or loop is located.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Converting

Tags: sewn strap Embroidery
Difference Between Regal and Premier Display Loop

Updated On: Jun 21, 2024

Posted By: Stephen Ira

There are lots of wide loop options available at HookandLoop.com. We carry VELCRO® Brand Woven Loop 3001 and Knit Loop 3610 which have similar uses but are limited in color options. Another wide loop we carry is our DuraGrip Brand Display Loop. This is a thicker loop material available in two styles and in several colors.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Product Details

Tags: Wide Loop Display Loop
COVID-19 Face Shields

Updated On: Nov 20, 2023

Posted By: Stephen Ira

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that has taken the world by storm, HookandLoop.com has been uniquely positioned to supply companies with large quantities of hook and loop material with incredible efficiency. Through our efforts, and the efforts of our customers and suppliers, we've been able to supply wholesale straps for the manufacture of hundreds of thousands of face shields and other PPE.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Converting

Tags: Hook and Loop face shields
Cleaning Hook

Updated On: Apr 5, 2024

Posted By: Stephen Ira

Since the hook side is the rough scratchy side that sticks to everything, we get questions about how to clean it. It often gets debris in it if it isn't fastened during washing so we thought it would be useful to go over different ways to clean it out to use again! There are a few points to go over so let's get started.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Information

Tags: Hook and Loop
How to Remove Adhesive Backed Hook and Loop

Updated On: Mar 31, 2025

Posted By: Stephen Ira

With hook and loop, many applications use adhesive backing. Adhesives are useful for applying fasteners to plastics, metals, and various other substrates. Now, sometimes these adhesives are applied with the expectation that they will be in place forever. In these instances, it happens from time to time that they need to be removed or replaced. So how do you do that?

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Categories: Hook and Loop Information

Tags: Hook and Loop Adhesive
Washing Hook and Loop

Updated On: Apr 23, 2025

Posted By: Stephen Ira

One question we get occasionally is whether or not hook and loop material is washable. The answer is yes, and there are a couple parts of this answer that can be elaborated on. One is regarding proper care for hook and loop when washing, the other is about the material itself.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Information

Tags: Hook and Loop
Industrial Sewing Machines vs. Home Sewing Machines

Updated On: Nov 22, 2023

Posted By: Stephen Ira

The types of sewing machines we use for reinforcing hook and loop straps with polypropylene webbing have some differences compared to a standard sewing machine you might have at home. We’ll go over some of differences between industrial and domestic sewing machines here.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Converting

Tags: Hook and Loop sewing converting sewn straps
"Do You Sell 24" Wide Hook?"

Updated On: Nov 21, 2023

Posted By: Stephen Ira

This is a question we get regularly. It stems from the availability of our wide loop products, which are only available in the loop side (the soft, fuzzy side) in 12", 24", and 54" widths. There are no wide sheets of the hook side available. VELCRO USA manufactures low profile wide hook options in a 12” option but products like these have high minimums, often several hundred yards or so. Additionally, there are substantial lead times of 6-12 weeks on these products. To inquire about these hook options, please email us at info@hookandloop.com.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Product Details

Tags: Wide Hook
Wide Loop Uses

Updated On: Jun 21, 2024

Posted By: Stephen Ira

We offer several sizes, colors and styles of wide loop products. Wide loop is the loop side of hook and loop fasteners, manufactured in wide sheets for a variety of uses. We’ll cover some common uses here, but first let’s look at the different wide loop options we offer.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Uses

Tags: Wide Loop Display Loop
Hook And Loop Sander Discs

Updated On: Aug 5, 2024

Posted By: Stephen Ira

Sander discs are used on drum sanders. Many drum sanders and other large industrial sanders use sanding discs that are attached with a hook and loop fastener. This is so the sanding discs can be interchangeable and replaceable once the sandpaper or buffer or similar attachment wears out.

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Categories: Hook and Loop Uses

Tags: Hook and Loop sander