Technical Abstract: Biannual international symposia, with participation of laboratories globally, was the primary source of information on research and applications of biotechnology to textiles for this paper. The first symposium was held in Povoa do Varzim, Portugal in 2000. The second symposium was held in Athens, Georgia, in 2002. The third symposium, which is planned for Graz, Austria, in June, 2004, has indicated focus areas for reports. These symposia are not under the auspices of any particular organization or society but instead represent a "grass roots" effort by academic, industrial, and governmental scientists from diverse organizations throughout the world. Topics of interest related to biotechnology and textiles are taken from general categories listed for each of the symposia. Further, detailed information on these topics is derived primarily from manuscripts presented at the second symposium and published in Advances in Biotechnology for Textile Processing (4) by the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors, the University of Georgia. Information from these three symposia is supplemented with topics and research approaches derived from various searches.