This technical handbook offers a clear and detailed introduction to the field of sericulture (the cultivation of silkworms) and silk production for small, rural communities in tropical and temperate climates. Each chapter deals with a specific stage in the production process, from the cultivation of mulberry bushes to the grading of silk, including a chapter on sources of further information. With its clear illustrations and charts, it is the ideal reference book for rural communities considering starting silk production.;The handbook is the latest addition to the "Small-scale Textiles", series which aims to present basic information about all aspects of small-scale textile manufacture from raw materials to finished products, and will be of use to fieldworkers, development agencies, and those starting small-scale manufacture or attempting to improve or extend manufacture.

"Medical and Hygiene Textile Production" considers the production of medical and hygiene textiles on a small scale in developing countries. Medical textiles include gauze, bandages and cotton wool, and hygiene textiles consist of sanitary towels and nappies.;Although the technologies for these products are often simple, in the past there has been very little comprehensive information available about production methods. This handbook offers basic information on all levels of manufacture and small scale production of these items, from household level production to small centralized units, from raw material processing to the packaging and labelling of the finished products.;All the processes described can be undertaken by hand or with the use of small mechanically driven equipment.