The natural world around us provides excellent examples of functional systems built with a handful of materials. Throughout the millennia, nature has evolved to adapt and develop highly sophisticated methods to solve problems. The solutions found in nature include superhydrophobicity, self cleaning, self repair, energy conservation, drag reduction, dry adhesion, adaptive growth, and so on. There are numerous examples of functional surfaces, fibrous structures, structural colours, self-healing, thermal insulation, etc., that offer important lessons for the textile products of the future. This paper provides a general overview of the potential of bio-inspired textile structures by highlighting a few specific examples of pertinent, inherently sustainable biological systems.Biomimetic research is a rapidly growing field and its true potential can only be realized through interdisciplinary research rooted in a holistic understanding of nature. The paper explores the field of biomimetics as it relates to textiles. The exploration begins with a general overview, followed by a historical perspective; it describes some ongoing efforts in biomimetic textiles. Finally, it explores the potential of use of biomimetic materials and products towards the attainment of sustainable textiles.
