THE UBIQUITOUS HOOK AND LOOP STRAP

There are hook and loop straps attached to everything. They are available in every market and can be utilized in any way imaginable. Who would have thought, for instance, that a brightly colored hook-and-loop strap could be used to identify cows in a way that makes it easy to provide them with the medical attention they require?

Hook and loop fasteners are particularly prevalent in the medical industry, used in many orthopedic and sports injury products, patient positioning solutions for beds, surgical tables, and stretchers, and for securing ventilator and CPAP masks, as well as many other uses including blood pressure cuffs.

But hook and loop straps are also used in a wide variety of general industrial, defense, construction, and display/graphics industries.

Examples of their use include:

Bundling of construction materials, wire harnesses, and cable
Products for the military, firefighters, police, and first responders including tourniquets
Assembly of booths, displays, tents, and awnings
Aids in sports training and fitness equipment
Securing and cinching hydraulic hoses

If you are an engineer or a product designer, it may be beneficial for you to have an understanding of the various types of straps as well as the construction of each one. Cinch straps, back straps, face straps, and double face straps are the four types of straps that are used the most frequently. One more thing that could be considered a strap is a die-cut hook and loop cable tie.

 

Back strap. In order to create a cuff or band, a back strap will have a shorter section of hook that will be either welded or sewn onto a longer strip of loop. Bundling of cables, wires, hoses, and various other types of thin tubing is a typical application for these straps. When the strap is wrapped around the bundle, the loop should be facing up. To secure the strap, the hook should be pressed down onto the loop, and the strap should be pulled as tightly as possible.

Face strap. The hook material, which is the shorter length, and the loop material, which is the longer length, are both welded or sewn facing in the same direction. This sets face straps apart from other types of straps. In contrast to a back strap, which, once fastened, curls up into a cuff or band, a face strap is first made into the shape of a “U,” and then it is fastened onto itself. This particular type of strap may come equipped with a grommet and is typically used for hanging materials (such as a cable bundle).

Double face strap. A double face strap is made up of a length of loop that is positioned so that it is facing up, and smaller pieces of hook that are secured on both sides. A strap of this kind could be utilized in the securing of hoses or in the holding of two skis together.

Custom hook and loop Strap Solutions.There is an infinite number of ways to customize these straps, including additional variations and color combinations. Webbing material made of polypropylene, nylon, or polyester may be sewed into the straps of certain customers who prefer stronger straps. These customers may make this request. Straps that are made out of a material that is stretchable and elastic loop may be required by customers in the medical, sporting goods, and personal care industries. Companies that deal in consumer goods and retail goods, as well as other highly branded businesses, might be interested in having custom printing done on either the hook or the loop materials. Grommets and buckles are two examples of possible hardware features.