Handbook of Natural Fibres

Professor Ryszard M. Kozlowski is the award-winning former Director of the Polish Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Textile Institute, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Natural Fibres, Scientific Advisor to the Institute for Engineering of Polymer Materials and Dyes, and Doctor Honoris Causa of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ibarra, Ecuador. Professor Kozlowski is also Coordinator of both ESCORENA (the European System of Cooperative Research Networks in Agriculture and the FAO/ESCORENA European Cooperative Research Network on Flax and other Bast Plants. He is the author/co-author of over 300 publications, including 26 books and 25 patents. Maria Mackiewicz-Talarczyk is assistant at Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants in Poland.

1A Introduction to natural textile fibres
1B World natural fibre production and employment

Part One Fundamentals:
Types of fibre, properties, identification and testing
2 Bast fibres: jute
3 Bast fibres: ramie
4 Bast fibres: kenaf
5A Bast fibres: flax
5B Bast fibres: hemp cultivation and production
6 Abaca: cultivation, obtaining fibre and potential uses
7 Bamboo fibre
8 Coconut fibre: its structure, properties and applications
9 Wool fibres
10 Mohair, cashmere and other animal hair fibres
11 Silk fibres e structure, properties and applications
12 Fibre plants of arid regions of North Africa
13 Mineral fibres: basalt
14 Identification of natural textile fibres
15 Testing of natural textile fibres

Part Two Improving natural fibre production through breeding and cultivation
16 Cotton breeding
17 Developments in fibrous flax and linseed breeding and cultivation
18 Prevention of fungi and bacteria growth in natural fibres
19 Wild silks: their entomological aspects and their textile applications
20 New emerging natural fibres and relevant sources of information