Biomimicry and Textiles: Inspiration from Nature

Humans have been creating textiles for over five thousand years, and these textiles are becoming increasingly technical. 1 However, we shouldn't forget the inspiration that comes from nature rather than modern day advances. The materials we see in nature have been developed naturally over billions of years, and often have highly specialized functions. Animals, plants, and insects show a wide range of fascinating properties, such as superhydrophobicity, self-healing, drag reduction, energy production, and storage, among many others. An area of research that has recently gained popularity-biomimicry-looks at the materials or textile inspiration we find in nature. Biomimicry research can be utilized in a wide range of areas, from looking at how spiders spin their silk to develop stronger, lightweight textiles, to considering how shark skin reduces drag when moving through water. There is a wealth of information to be gleaned from studying nature, and the natural materials and structures that can be found in it. The potential applications of current biomimicry research carry a lot of promise. Exploring the different areas of biological discovery are paving the way to advancements in material development.