The University of Bath and the London College of Fashion are jointly researching biomimetic clothing (an idea whose virtues we've extolled before) that would function similarly to the system used by pine cones to open up and emit seeds. The clothing will use the latest in what the partnership calls "micro technology" to produce material which will let in air to cool a wearer when it is hot and shut out air when it is cold. The smart garments will consist of a top layer of tiny spikes of water-absorbent material, possibly wool, each only 1/200th of a millimeter wide.

Smartclothes are f'ing cool.

Treehugger: Smart Clothing Mimics Pine Cones