Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) system has attracted extensive attention as a sustainable desalination technology because of its cost efficiency and zero fossil-energy consumption. Aiming at optimizing the desalination properties, materials and system design have been the current research focus. Recently, many novel bio-derived/bio-inspired design strategies were proposed owing to their highly efficient structures inherited from nature, which were fine-tuned over eons of evolution, as well as their low cost and ease of treatment. In this review, we are going to systematically report recent progress of various bio-derived/bio-inspired strategies in terms of optical design, wetting, thermal management, and overall system design, presenting an overview of the current challenges of bio-inspired materials in ISSG system and other application fields. This article is intended to provide a comprehensive review of recent developments about bio-derived/bio-inspired materials in ISSG system and conclude with suggestions regarding further research directions for performance enhancement through design of bio-derived/bio-inspired materials.