Environmental concerns have regenerated interest in the use of natural fibers for a much wider variety of products, including high-tech applications such as geotextiles, and composite materials for automotive and light industry use. Covering minor as well as major fibers produced worldwide, Bast and Other Plant Fibers analyzes flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, ramie, sisal, coir, and nettle, and provides an index of fiber-yielding plants. Each chapter examining chemical and physical structure, fiber, yarn and fabric production, dying, handle and wear characteristics, economics, and environmental, health and safety issues. A comprehensive set of tables makes it easy to compare the physical and chemical characteristics of different fibers.

This is the last of the Small-scale Textile series and covers the pre-spinning processes which make plant fibres suitable for textile manufacture. The book includes not only familiar plant fibres such as cotton, sisal and jute, but also less well known fibres from plants such as Himalayan nettle, pineapple leaf and kenaf, which are of great value to small communities where they are used for both utilitarian and decorative purposes. As well as extraction and other pre-spinning processes, there is background information on the growing areas, soil and climatic requirements and methods of harvesting, and details of equipment suppliers and sources of further information.

"In this book Katrien Hendrickx searches for the origins of bashofu in the Ryukyus, including the origins of ito basho, the plant that provides the raw material, and studies the yarn-making methods and weaving techniques. She also focuses on why and how the Ryukyuan people adopted those techniques and introduced them into their own society."--BOOK JACKET.