Durability - the attachment is mechanical rather than a bond.

It does not creep under sustained load.

It does not soften with heat.

It survives washing repeatedly.

Clothing, upholstery, marine covers and workwear all use it.

There is nothing that depends on surface preparation.

Around the full perimeter, and cross-stitched on wide tape.

Tape sewn along only two edges peels at the unstitched sides.

That happens under exactly the peel force the fastening generates.

A perimeter stitch spreads the load into the fabric.

Wide tape benefits from additional stitching across it.

Corners are where peeling starts, so stitching them properly matters.

Ones suited to both the tape and the base material.

Hook tape in particular is dense and stiff.

A needle too fine will deflect or break.

Thread strength must at least match the fastening.

Otherwise the seam becomes the weak point.

Bonded polyester thread is a common choice for the combination of strength and abrasion resistance.

It is the constraint people most often forget.

Hook and loop generates concentrated peel force.

Stitching to lightweight fabric tears the fabric.

The seam holds and the material around it fails.

Reinforcement behind the tape prevents that on anything thin.

Interfacing or a backing patch is the usual approach.

It survives it, and it collects lint doing so.

Hook tape traps fibres from everything around it.

A clogged hook face engages considerably less well.

Closing the fastening before laundering is standard advice.

It also stops the hooks abrading other items.

Cleaning a clogged hook face with a stiff brush restores much of the engagement.

Hooks on the less exposed side, loops where people touch.

Hooks are harsher against skin and clothing.

They also catch on other fabrics in the wash.

Loops are softer and collect less debris.

On garments the convention matters for comfort as well as durability.

Exposed hook tape at low level collects lint and stops working.

Many thousands of cycles, though engagement degrades gradually.

Hooks deform and loops break down over time.

Contamination with lint accelerates the loss.

Manufacturers publish cycle life figures.

Heavier-duty grades last considerably longer.

Replacing a worn tape is straightforward where the stitching can be unpicked cleanly.