New Handbook of Textiles

Textile materials are of interest to everyone, for they play a most important part in civilised life as we know it today. Throughout the past centuries a few simple fibres, particularly cotton, linen, wool and silk, have been used mainly for clothing purposes. Today these fibres, with the possible exception of silk on account of its scarcity and high price, are being widely utilised for various industrial purposes; some examples being the use of cotton for reinforcing motorcar tyres and plastic materials, linen wing coverings on aeroplanes, and the use of wool felt as heat and sound insulating materials in building construction. Various processes by which fibres are obtained and then made into useful textile materials have been described to enable, everyone to understand them and so appreciate better the effort and skill that goes into the manufacture of fabrics and garments of all kinds. The present book focuses mainly on textile fibres, as these are useful for clothing and domestic purposes. The book will be of immense use to all those concerned with textiles in general and the manufacture of fabrics and garments in particular

Prof. P.V. Vidyasagar was born in Karnataka and obtained his Textile Engineering degree in 1978. He was Honorary Associate Professor in the School of Textile Technology at the University of Bradford, and took voluntary retirement in 1989. During this period he travelled extensively throughout Europe, the Middle East and the United States of America on consultation work. His research work over the years has concentrated on the integration of surfactants with dyestuffs and the effect of surfactants on the carbonisation of wool, and he has written numerous articles on the subject.