Hook-and-loop for defence, military, and police
kragoTEC® high-performance hook-and-loop solutions for mission-critical gear
This is particularly important in risky situations: when every second counts, everything must be secure and functional – even when handling with gloves. However, the requirements for fastening and closure solutions in a military context are fundamentally very high. Security forces rely on the reliable functionality of their protective and equipment components at all times. High-quality hook and loop fasteners and fastening systems offer the ideal conditions for this and work easily, quickly and reliably at all times – provided they are of the right quality.
Police, defence and other authorities benefit not only from kragoTEC's extensive product range and versatile processing options, but also from the experience and expertise of customer service and product development, including in-house textile engineering. It is fundamentally important to know which properties and criteria are relevant for the respective industries and applications. There are also relevant characteristics for the security industry and defence.
In addition to mechanical performance, visual and tactical integration is crucial. kragoTEC® hook and loop systems are available in safety-specific, monochrome camouflage colours that blend in with existing military colour concepts such as Multicam, Flecktarn, Tropentarn, Wüstentarn, Multitarn, UCP or MARPAT.
IRR (Infrared Reflectance Reduction) equipment is a key component of modern multispectral camouflage concepts. Through controlled infrared reflection, it ensures that equipment and textiles remain inconspicuous not only in the visible range, but also to specialised sensor and night vision systems. This creates tactical advantages and increases the safety of personnel and systems in security-critical environments. For tactical applications with increased signature management requirements, kragoTEC offers hook and loop systems with IRR (Infrared Reflectance Reduction) equipment. This equipment reduces infrared reflection in the relevant wavelength range and helps to minimise visibility under night vision and IR observation systems. This allows textile components and modular equipment to be integrated into existing IR camouflage concepts.
IRR stands for Infrared Reflectance Reduction and describes the targeted control of a material's infrared reflection in order to reduce its detectability in the infrared spectrum. Conventional fabrics reflect infrared light at a similar intensity to visible light, which can lead to high-contrast, conspicuous signatures when viewed through night vision devices. Special finishing processes, pigmentations or coatings are used to adjust the reflected infrared light so that the surface values better match the surroundings. This reduces the contrast in the infrared spectrum and improves the camouflage effect under technical observation and night vision systems.
In modern deployment scenarios, night vision devices, infrared cameras and other sensory surveillance technologies are widely used. Materials without IRR optimisation often appear very bright or high-contrast under these systems and are therefore easier to detect – even if they are well camouflaged in the visible spectrum. IRR-optimised components help to match the infrared signature of clothing, equipment and textiles to the natural environment, reducing visibility to enemy sensors. This applies to military operations as well as tactical security or observation applications.
Modern military camouflage concepts are no longer limited to the visible colour spectrum. While the human eye only perceives visible light, today's night vision devices (FLIR - Forward Looking Infrared) operate in the near infrared range (NIR) between approximately 700 and 1200 nanometres. This is precisely where an often underestimated weakness arises: a fabric may appear perfectly olive green to the eye and blend harmoniously into a vegetated landscape, but it may reflect strongly in the infrared spectrum and thus glow brightly under night vision devices. Without NIR conformity, a uniform that is actually dark can appear almost white in the IR image and stand out clearly from the background – with serious tactical disadvantages.
IRR (Infrared Reflectance Reduction) refers to the targeted control and reduction of this infrared reflection. The aim is not complete "invisibility", but rather the adaptation of the reflectance values to natural references such as vegetation, earth or rock. An olive green fabric must behave as similarly as possible to chlorophyll in plants in the infrared range. Precisely defined reflection and absorption values in the relevant wavelength range, which must be reproducibly maintained, are crucial. It is not enough to simply adjust the base colour: in camouflage patterns, the contrasts between individual colour areas must also be preserved in the infrared image. Inferior materials lose this differentiation, so that complex camouflage patterns blur into a uniformly bright area under night vision, making the silhouette of the wearer clearly visible.
However, the challenge does not end with the choice of fabric. Optical brighteners in detergents can accumulate in the fabric and massively increase infrared reflection, causing even uniforms that were originally NIR-compliant to lose their camouflage effect. Uncoordinated components such as hook and loop fasteners, coatings, plastic parts or labels can also appear as bright "hot spots" in the IR image due to deviating reflection values, revealing the wearer's position. In addition, wear and tear, UV exposure, welding, dirt and frequent washing can alter IRR properties over time. Therefore, NIR compliance is not an isolated material characteristic, but part of a holistic system that takes all components used into account.
For textile fastening systems such as hook and loop solutions, this means that hook and loop materials, carrier fabrics, dyes and coatings must also be precisely matched to infrared requirements. Precisely because these elements are often located in exposed areas of protective vests, plate carriers, helmets or modular equipment systems, they must not produce a deviating IR signature. Multispectral camouflage is therefore a question of precise material development, controlled production processes and systemic integration. NIR-compliant equipment not only reduces visibility in visible terrain, but also ensures that no conspicuous contrasts arise even under technical observation systems. Effective signature management therefore does not begin during deployment, but rather during the material definition stage.
Do you require reversible hook and loop patches for uniforms or workwear in specific shapes and colours? Are you a manufacturer or supplier of ballistic protective vests or other military equipment components? Play it safe and contact us. Our customer service team will be happy to assist you with their expertise and industry-specific know-how. Use our callback service or our digital calendar to arrange a telephone or face-to-face consultation.
You can also find out why security agencies, police forces and defence organisations rely on modern hook and loop fastening systems in our magazine article, for which we spoke to hook and loop expert and kragoTEC Managing Director Dennis Meijerink about his experiences. You can also get to know Björn Schultheiss, one of our customer service representatives, who has extensive industry-specific expertise. Click here to read the article.
