COCONUT YARN/FIBRE

COCONUT YARN/FIBRE

1. I.              Market

Table 1: List of some big importers for coir yarn in 2015

Source: Trademap.org

Table 2: List of importing markets for coir yarn exported by Viet Nam in 2015

Viet Nam’s exports represent 0.05% of world exports for this product, its ranking in world exports is 19

Source: Trademap.org 

Table 3: List of importing companies for coir yarn/fibre

1. II.          The process of manufacturing coir fibre

The outer layers covering the coconut seed are processed and spun into fibers commonly known as coir.

1)            Harvesting and husking

• Coconuts that have ripened and fallen from the tree may simply be picked up off

the ground. Coconuts still clinging to the 40-100 ft (12-30 m) tall trees are harvested by human climbers. If the climber picks the fruit by hand, he can harvest fruits from about 25 trees in a day. If the climber uses a bamboo pole with a knife attached to the end to reach through the treetop vegetation and cut selected coconuts loose, he can harvest 250 trees per day. (A third harvesting technique, in which trained monkeys climb trees to pick ripe coconuts, is used only in countries that produce little commercial coir.)

• Ripe coconuts are husked immediately, but unripe coconuts may be seasoned for a month by spreading them in a single layer on the ground and keeping them dry. To remove the fruit from the seed, the coconut is impaled on a steel-tipped spike to split the husk. The pulp layer is easily peeled off. A skilled husker can manually split and peel about 2,000 coconuts per day. Modern husking machines can process 2,000 coconuts per hour.

2)            Retting

Retting is a curing process during which the husks are kept in an environment that encourages the action of naturally occurring microbes. This action partially decomposes the husk's pulp, allowing it to be separated into coir fibers and a residue called coir pith. Freshwater retting is used for fully ripe coconut husks, and saltwater retting is used for green husks.

• For freshwater retting, ripe husks are buried in pits dug along riverbanks, immersed in water-filled concrete tanks, or suspended by nets in a river and weighted to keep them submerged. The husks typically soak at least six months.
• For saltwater retting, green husks are soaked in seawater or artificially salinated fresh water. Often this is accomplished by placing them in pits along riverbanks near the ocean, where tidal action alternately covers them with sea water and rinses them with river water. Saltwater retting usually takes eight to 10 months, although adding the proper bacteria to the water can shorten the retting period to a few days.
• Mechanical techniques have recently been developed to hasten or eliminate retting. Ripe husks can be processed in crushing machines after being retted for only seven to 10 days. Immature husks can be dry milled without any retting. After passing through the crushing machine, these green husks need only be dampened with water or soaked one to two days before proceeding to the defibering step. Dry milling produces only mattress fiber.

3)            Defibering

• Traditionally, workers beat the retted pulp with wooden mallets to separate the fibers from the pith and the outer skin. In recent years, motorized machines have been developed with flat beater arms operating inside steel drums. Separation of the bristle fibers is accomplished by hand or in a machine consisting of a rotating drum fitted with steel spikes.
• Separation of the mattress fibers from the pith is completed by washing the residue from the defibering process and combing through it by hand or tumbling it in a perforated drum or sieve. (Saltwater retting produces only mattress fibers.)
• The clean fibers are spread loosely on the ground to dry in the sun.

4)            Finishing

• Bristle fibers that will not immediately be further processed are rolled and tied into loose bundles for storage or shipment. More mechanized producers may use a hydraulic press to create compact bales.
• Similarly, mattress fibers may simply be baled with a hydraulic press. However, if more processing is desired, the fibers are combed with mechanical or manual carding tools, then loosely twisted into a thick yarn (wick), and wound into bundles. Later, the wick can be re-spun into a finer yarn. Techniques vary from simple hand spinning to use of a hand-operated spinning wheel or a fully automated spinning machine.
• Depending on its intended final use, the yarn may be shipped to customers, or multiple strands may be twisted into twine and bundled for shipment. Both traditional manual techniques and newer mechanical methods are used to braid twine into rope and to weave yarn into mats or nets.
• For some uses, such as upholstery padding, bristle fiber is loosely spun into yarn and allowed to rest. Then the fibers, which have become curly, are separated. These fibers are lightly felted into mats that are sprayed with latex rubber, dried, and vulcanized (heat treated with sulphur).

1. III.       Supplier for coir fibre

Table 4: List of exporting companies for coir yarn

Source: Trademap.org

Other source: http://vn.kompass.com/searchCompanies?searchType=SUPPLIER&acClassif=&text=%22coir+fibre%22

1. IV.        Coir fibre uses
2. 1.             To manufacture shoes

http://www.cocoze.com/why-coconut-fibre/

1. 2.             Producing fertile fibre
2. 3.             Products from coconut fibre

a)            Rope

Coir rope resists saltwater, so it is favored for use on boats, according to the Discover Natural Fibres website. For this reason, coir is also used to make fishing nets.

b)            Matting

Coir mats keep you from tracking dirt into the house. The mats, made of natural brown coir woven or pressed together, appeal to people who prefer a natural material over a synthetic. The stubby bristles of coir effectively remove mud and grime from shoes and stand up to the elements. When they begin to break down, you can use them as mulch in the garden or add them to a compost pile.

c)            Landscaping

Coir serves as a substitute for peat in potting soils and landscaping materials. Coir can be used as a mulch or as a medium for hydroponic gardening. When compared to the non-renewable nature of peat moss, coir offers an environmentally friendly alternative.

d)            Concrete

Coir provides a natural, non-toxic replacement for asbestos in the production of cement fiberboard. The fiber-reinforced concrete is strong, flexible and may be less expensive to produce than other reinforcement methods such as wire mesh or rebar, according to a paper by Ben Davis of Georgia Tech University.

e)            Coir Bhoovastra

Coir Bhoovastra is regarded as the complete geo textile to prevent soil erosion and promote vegetation cover. Naturally resistant to rot, moulds, and moisture, and needing no chemical treatment, coir Bhoovastra is hard and strong, and can not only protect the soil from erosion but can even be used as a protection against sea erosion, dispensing with the unsightly rocks that line sea shores and affording better protection against the onslaught of the raging sea in the monsoons. It is resistant to saline water and has longevity in high coastal regions.

f)             Mulch Door Mat

A traditional coir door mat beautifies the entrance to one's home or office and help one to keep the floors clean. It facilitate to keep the dirt, grime and moisture from coming indoor.

g)            Mattress

This popular, natural fibre filled mattress is carefully made from coconut husk fibres which are bound together with natural latex. The coir pad is layered between foam and polyester wadding. It offers comfort & resilience & is available in any size or shape.

h)            Coir Blanket

 Coir fibre stitched with PP or Jute between two netting either PP or Jute or a combination. Used in control of soil erosion.

1. 4.             Coir fiber uses in modern day

In here coconut fiber divide in to three main group such as Coconut Bristle Fiber, Coconut Machine Twisted Fiber and Coconut Mattress Fiber.

a)            Coconut Bristle fiber

Coconut Bristle fiber is long and highly strong fiber which is commonly used to create brush and brooms in manufacturing industry. Coconut Bristle fiber is a type of coconut fiber which also stiff, long and string. There are grading of this fibers and basic grade of this coconut bristle fiber is known as 1 Tie Fiber, 2 Tie Fiber and 3 Tie Fiber. According to purpose these coconut Bristle fiber get oiled or waxed sometimes its bleached or get dried in various colors also. Following are the main purposes of Where Bristle fibers are used.

• Coconut Coir Twine Production
• To Create Brushes
• To Crate Tawashi
• Potting Mixes
• Can also use ad growing media for cultivation
• Use to manufacture special industrial and domestic filers

b)