Alex Hyde / Sheetweb weaving spider (Linyphiidae) in web at sunset. The silk is refracting the light into a rainbow of coloured bands. Slovenia, July.

Cyril Ruoso / Woman with baby looking at Sisal (Agave sisalana) fibres drying for rope making, Berenty Reserve, Madagascar.

Sandesh Kadur / Female Golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) stripping fibres from and feeding on Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) leaf fronds, Manas, Kokrajhar, Assam, India

Alex Hyde / Apollo silkmoth (Ceranchia apollina) close up of cocoon showing silk fibres, originating from Madagascar. Captive.

Alex Hyde / Cricula silkmoth (Cricula trifenestrata) close up of cocoon showing silk fibres originating from Southeast Asia. Captive.

Solvin Zankl / Cornflower seeds (Centaurea cyanus). Cornflower seeds are partly dispersed by ants and also carry a tuft of hygroscopic (water-absorbing) fibres that expand when wet and retract when dry, thus driving...

Solvin Zankl / Seeds of Common storksbill (Erodium cicutarium), Europe. In dry conditions, the ripe seeds are ejected from the fruit. The seed tails are formed from the persisting style which consists of hygroscopic...

Jabruson / Bambuti pygmy boy with net made from plant fibres. Epulu Ituri Reserve, DR Congo (formerly Zaire)

Claudio Contreras / Maya woman weaving Panama hat with fibres of Jipijapa (Carludovica palmata) a palm-like perennial plant, Santa Cruz Hacienda, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June

Claudio Contreras / Maya woman weaving Panama hat with fibres of Jipijapa (Carludovica palmata) a palm-like perennial plant, Santa Cruz Hacienda, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, June

Claudio Contreras / Henequen (Agave fourcroydes) fibres drying, X-Kanchakan, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, February

Jean E. Roche / Fibres of Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) used for making traditional Japanese washi paper. Arles, Camargue, France. December.