 Many camouflaged textile patterns have been developed to suit the need to match combat clothing to different kinds of terrain ( such as woodland , snow , and desert ) . The design of a pattern effective in all terrains has proved elusive . The American Universal Camouflage Pattern of 2004 attempted to suit all environments , but was withdrawn after a few years of service . Terrain @-@ specific patterns have sometimes been developed but are ineffective in other terrains . The problem of making a pattern that works at different ranges has been solved with pixellated shapes , often designed digitally , that provide a fractal @-@ like range of patch sizes so they appear disruptively coloured both at close range and at a distance . The first genuinely digital camouflage pattern was the Canadian CADPAT , issued to the army in 2002 , soon followed by the American MARPAT . A pixellated appearance is not essential for this effect , though it is simpler to design and to print . 
