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 Koz?owski 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 fibres1B World natural fibre production and employmentPart One Fundamentals: Types of fibre, properties, identification and testing2 Bast fibres: jute3 Bast fibres: ramie4 Bast fibres: kenaf5A Bast fibres: flax5B Bast fibres: hemp cultivation and production6 Abaca: cultivation, obtaining fibre and potential uses7 Bamboo fibre8 Coconut fibre: its structure, properties and applications9 Wool fibres10 Mohair, cashmere and other animal hair fibres11 Silk fibres e structure, properties and applications12 Fibre plants of arid regions of North Africa13 Mineral fibres: basalt14 Identification of natural textile fibres15 Testing of natural textile fibresPart Two Improving natural fibre production through breeding and cultivation16 Cotton breeding17 Developments in fibrous flax and linseed breeding and cultivation18 Prevention of fungi and bacteria growth in natural fibres19 Wild silks: their entomological aspects and their textile applications20 New emerging natural fibres and relevant sources of information

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 Koz?owski 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 fibres1B World natural fibre production and employmentPart One Fundamentals: Types of fibre, properties, identification and testing2 Bast fibres: jute3 Bast fibres: ramie4 Bast fibres: kenaf5A Bast fibres: flax5B Bast fibres: hemp cultivation and production6 Abaca: cultivation, obtaining fibre and potential uses7 Bamboo fibre8 Coconut fibre: its structure, properties and applications9 Wool fibres10 Mohair, cashmere and other animal hair fibres11 Silk fibres e structure, properties and applications12 Fibre plants of arid regions of North Africa13 Mineral fibres: basalt14 Identification of natural textile fibres15 Testing of natural textile fibresPart Two Improving natural fibre production through breeding and cultivation16 Cotton breeding17 Developments in fibrous flax and linseed breeding and cultivation18 Prevention of fungi and bacteria growth in natural fibres19 Wild silks: their entomological aspects and their textile applications20 New emerging natural fibres and relevant sources of information