COCONUT FIBER
Coconut fiber, commonly known as coir, is obtained from the fibrous husk of the coconut. This is the thick fibrous middle layer of the coconut. To separate the fibers, the coconut shells are cut in half and then retted. In the retting process, the coconut shells are buried in wet soil to allow microbial degradation of the softer tissues. The shells are then beaten and washed to readily separate the coir fibers. Incidentally, the hard inner layer, called the stone, is the source of coconut shell activated carbon, so very popular in adsorbent filter media.
What are its Applications?
Coconut fiber is used in various fields such as:
-
Manufacturing of building materials.
-
Horticulture and Agriculture applications.
-
Handicrafts and Art.
-
Plant landscape (indoor and out door).
-
Water filter.
-
Heat insulator.
-
Sound filter.
-
Soil Coating.
-
Bedding and pet products.
Advantage of coconut fiber
-
Coconut coir holds water well, while providing adequate drainage.
-
Coconut fiber has a high lignin content and thus a low cellulose content, as a result of which it is resilient, strong and highly durable.