Science and the clothing industry work hand in glove. We’ve gotten used to it, especially in the outdoor industry. But even so, UK-based Vollebak will make you do a double-take. The three-year-old company founded by athletes and designers Nick and Steve Tidball have brought the future of technical clothing to today. With the goal of creating bionic clothing, Vollebak is making the gear that is uniquely modern and designed to take the rigors of an exceptionally active life. From its 100 Year Pants, built to survive fire, water and anything else nature can throw at you, to the Solar Charged Jacket made from highly responsive fabric that can be instantly charged and glows in the dark. But currently, the crown jewel of Vollebak is its Blue Morpho jacket, which is like no other outerwear you’ve ever donned.

1. Modeled after the wings of a butterfly: Vollebak recreated the iridescent wings of the Blue Morpho butterfly to make the jacket highly visible. Using highly reflective spheres, the jacket mimics the microstructures of the surface of the wing, making it ultra-visible from long range, and will allow the jacket to look wildly different depending on the weather conditions and lighting.
2. Over 2 billion reflective spheres: To achieve the desired effect, the jacket uses over two billion highly reflective glass spheres embedded in resin on the surface of the jacket. That’s over 40,000 in every single square centimeter. When light hits the jacket the fabric looks like it’s emitting light.
3. Highly functional: While the Blue Morpho jacket has some rather amazing features, it is not all bells-and-whistles. The highly reflective jacket is also highly functional — like all of Vollebak’s designs. The jacket is built for the slopes, completely waterproof and windproof, from heavy-duty zippers to the four large front pockets. The super high collar and snow skirt will keep you protected no matter how extreme the conditions are.