If I get it right, they are using the idea of hunters, who attached a deer skin (fur outside) to the ski (e.g. like this). It's called "камус" and "Steigfell", and I don't know an English word for it.
Just like you can pet your cat in one direction and can't do it in the opposite direction, with Steigfell on you can easily glide in one direction (forward) and if you try to glide backwards, the fur will "bristle up".
I never tried it myself, but I know a couple of people who say it really works: you can easily go uphill, without (much) affecting forward gliding performance.
When skiing backcountry making your own track on snow, even "climbing" 5-10 degree slops can be very tiresome (or you use a grip wax and sacrifice gliding at all). So having a Steigfell (in your case, integrated) is a huge advantage.
But don't expect to be able to walk a 30-deg slope uphill.