A story rooted in the jungle
ERDL was born in the Engineer Research & Development Laboratories of the U.S. Army in 1948. It was designed to provide effective concealment in dense tropical environments. It remained in the shadows for years until the Vietnam War, when it was finally issued to elite reconnaissance units. Later, it was adopted by the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Army, and special forces from Australia and New Zealand.
Camouflage inspired by nature
Also known as the “Leaf Pattern”, ERDL combines four colors arranged in organic shapes. Its irregular patches, resembling leaves and branches, were designed to break up the silhouette in the dense vegetation of Southeast Asia. The “lowland” version – with its shades of green – was intended for jungle environments, while the “highland” variant with a lighter, sandy tone worked perfectly in mountainous and drier regions.
Experiments and the evolution of a legend
In the 1970s, the U.S. Army tested various iterations of ERDL, enlarging its shapes by several hundred percent to determine which would perform best at different distances. The most effective version was enlarged by 60% compared to the original, and it became the foundation for one of the world’s most iconic camouflage patterns: M81 Woodland.
Camo is our passion
If you’re fascinated by the history of camouflage patterns and curious about their stories, you’re in the right place. At Helikon-Tex, we love exploring the world of camo, so we’ve put together a special blog article packed with facts and fun details about classic and lesser-known camouflage designs. Check out our blog and dive into the art of concealment!
