Coir (also known as "Kokos" or "Coco") is a natural fiber extracted from the husk of Coconut fruit. The husk consists of Coir fiber and a corky tissue called pith. The husk is immersed in water for 6 - 9 months. This process is called retting. Retting removes some of the dirt and natural enzymes present in the fiber giving it a golden color. The fiber is then extracted by beating it manually using a mallet or by a mechanical extractor machine. This leaves the outer skin of the coconut fruit along with the corky pith. Pith finds large scale use in horticulture as a growing medium. The fiber thus extracted is then hand - spun to form the golden coir yarn. This yarn is used to make an ever increasing range of products.

The advantages of coir fibers are 100% natural Bio - degradable Made from infinitely replinishable resources Natural golden brown color - fits any decor Hard and resilient fiber provides excellent scrubbing action - ideal for door / entrance mat applications High water retention Coir mattings and rugs: hard - wearing, rustic and elegant Moth and rot resistant Good insulator of heat and sound

Composition of Coir Chemical and Physical Properties Coir is a lignocellulosic material. It is bio - degradable. The physical and chemical properties of coir is given in the following tables

Physical Properties of Coir Fibre Ultimates Length in mm 0.6 Diameter / width in micron 16 Single Fibres Length in inches 6 - 8 Density (g/cc) 1.40 Tenacity(g/tex) 10.0 Breaking elongation % 30 Moisture regain at 65 % R. H (%) 10.5 Swelling in water (diameter) 5%

Chemical composition of Coir Water Solubles 5.25% Pectin and related compounds 3.00% Hemi - cellulose 0.25% Lignin 45.84% Cellulose 43.44% Ash 2.22% ---------------- 100.00% Because of the high lignin content coir is more durable when compared to other natural fibres