COIR FIBER
The fibrous husks are soaked in pits or in nets in a slow moving body of water to swell and soften the fibres. The long bristle fibres are separated from the shorter mattress fibres underneath the skin of the nut, a process known as fiber milling. The mattress fibres are sifted to remove dirt and other impurities, dried in the sun and packed into bales. Some manufacturers produce mixed fibers by mixing both types of fiber and pressed into 100 – 150 Kg bales.
Brown coir fiber is used in floor mats and doormats, brushes, mattresses, floor tiles and sacking. A small amount is also made into twine. Also the coir Nets which are used widely in erosion control on river banks and hillsides. Coir fiber pads are also sprayed with rubber latex which bonds the fibres together, (rubberised coir) to be used as upholstery padding for the automobile industry in Europe and to manufacture bio degradable Pots and vases for Horticulture.
