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That branch of industrial microbiology concerned with textile materials. Most of the microorganisms on textiles—the fungi, actinomycetes, and bacteria—originate from air, soil, and water. Some of the microorganisms are harmful to either the fibres or the consumer. They may decompose the cellulose or protein in the fibre or affect the consumer's health. Since the minimum moisture content for microorganism development is 7%, dry storage is an effective prevention measure. Some of the microorganisms are useful, for example in the retting process, in which fibres are liberated from the stalks of such fibre plants as flax, hemp, and jute.