Inspiration from nature for fiber materials and fiber electronics

Natural fibers have evolved through optimized biosynthetic pathways to achieve an exceptional combination of strength, toughness, and compliance. Although these biological systems have inspired rapid advances in biomimetic fiber materials and fiber electronics, existing studies remain largely fragmented across biological principles, fabrication strategies, structural design, and device applications. To bridge these disconnected areas, this review proposes a bioinspiration-processing-structure-function (BPSF) conceptual framework that establishes a unified design pathway for bioinspired fiber materials and fiber electronics. Guided by this framework, we first summarize the transferable design principles derived from fibrous and non-fibrous biological systems. We then discuss how biomimetic processing strategies translate these biological principles into controllable fiber structures. Building on this processing-structure relationship, we further examine how structural engineering controls load transfer, interfacial coupling, and electromechanical stability, and highlight how these structural advantages enable reliable sensing, actuation, and adaptation in integrated fiber electronic systems. Finally, we discuss the key challenges and opportunities. This review establishes a cross-level design paradigm that links biological inspiration with processing, structural engineering, and device functionality, providing a perspective for advancing bioinspired fibers from passive structural mimics toward robust, adaptive, and intelligent fiber electronic systems.