Nature's Blueprint: How Biomimicry is Revolutionizing Outdoor Gear

Leonardo da Vinci could be called the father of biomimicry. While the practice of using nature as a creative approach to invention dates back thousands of years, Leonardo is probably the earliest and most famous example. In the mid-1400s, he connected the idea of bird flight with the potential of flying machines. It took nearly 500 years until the Wright brothers perfected the first airplane, but the principles of biomimicry stayed the same: studying plants, animals, and other natural systems to find solutions to human challenges.

"We often get asked where our ideas come from on the innovation team," explains Haskell Beckham, VP of Innovation for Columbia Sportswear. "Ideas about new technology and products can come from anywhere, as all innovation comes from being receptive and open-minded. But at Columbia, we’ve long been looking to nature to do things better."

The world around us has been evolving for billions of years, so it makes sense for scientists and inventors to mimic natural processes and strategies to create efficient, effective solutions for everything from housing inspired by ant and termite colonies to snowshoes that mimic bear feet to outdoor apparel. One of our best-known architects, Frank Lloyd Wright (not to be confused with the Wright brothers), mimicked landscapes in his architectural designs. Biomimicry is a powerful tool in the toolbox of any inventor, product designer, or engineer.

In terms of staying warm, dry, and comfortable outdoors, we only need to look at animals, birds, and even insects. How do ducks shed water? Or bears stay warm in sub-zero temperatures? Or mountain goats cling to nearly vertical rocky cliff bands? Early snowshoes replicated the form of a bear’s foot. In simple terms, biomimicry covers the gamut of gaining inspiration from nature.

As Beckham points out, a great example of biomimicry in design is Velcro. In the 1940s, a Swiss engineer, George de Mestral, noticed how burrs clung to his clothes and his dog's fur when they went for a hike. He examined the burrs under a microscope and observed tiny hooks that grabbed onto fabric and fur. Now, that technology is ubiquitous in the outdoors. “Velcro, or hook-and-loop closures, is a great example of examining nature, understanding how it works, and using that blueprint to create some type of product to benefit humankind,” says Beckham.

In outdoor apparel, biomimicry, along with solid chemical engineering and design, has brought us better products that are not only functional and efficient but also better for the environment. Brands like Columbia have learned from nature’s time-tested solutions, applying them in ways that benefit both people and the planet. In essence, biomimicry is about imitating nature's problem-solving techniques to develop solutions that are not only effective and beautiful but also environmentally friendly.

Beckham says that the key to biomimicry is being observant and curious about the world, regardless of whether you are a scientist or just a regular person trying to come up with a new idea. “You never know when a little spark of inspiration will come that will lead to the next product, a new friend, or another adventure. Observation and curiosity are important life skills, even if you are not inventing or designing products.”

The tread of the shoes in the Facet Collection were inspired by goats' hooves. Goats cling to nearly vertical rock faces, leaping and bounding across territory that would frighten even the world’s best mountain climbers. But a goat-inspired traction system in the sole, Adapt Trax, gives you an edge when you are navigating technical terrain. The shoe has a sticky rubber sole, lugs that provide braking on descents, and a unique “S” sole pattern that enhances balance on tricky terrain.

Nature gifted geckos with the ability to cling to everything from vertical rock bands to slimy sea cliffs. Inspired by the gecko’s amphibious ability to be sure-footed in the worst of conditions, Columbia’s innovation team developed a new molded compound with intricate siping that clings to wet and dry surfaces. Designed for fishing from boats, where surfaces can be slippery, the PFG Pro Sport features an outsole material inspired by gecko traction, providing better friction on boats with a special traction compound and tread design.

Columbia's Omni-Grip Ice traction technology is inspired by a polar bear's paw, which is large to spread out weight per unit area, allowing it to walk on thin ice. The pads of these paws are smaller in relation to the size of the paw compared to other bear species, and they have lots of hair, providing contact on ice and snow. The hair plays a significant role in traction. In Columbia's Omni-Grip Ice, fibers are mixed with rubber to create an outsole compound. This mimics hair as a critical component for traction. This design offers the best traction ever measured on ice in the lab. Unlike some compounds with fiberglass and particulates which can scratch hardwood floors, this outsole provides superior traction on ice and snow without causing damage.

Keep your eyes out for new examples of biomimicry in Columbia Sportswear clothing and footwear, coming soon!