Fiber Definitions — textile fibers, yarn fibers and fiber properties from Apparel Search
Coir, from the Malayalam kayaru, meaning cord, is a coarse fiber extracted from the husk, the fibrous outer shell of a coconut. The individual fiber cells are narrow and hollow, with thick walls made of cellulose; they are pale when immature but later become hardened and yellowed as a layer of lignin is deposited on their walls. Coir fiber is relatively waterproof and is the only natural fiber resistant to damage by salt water. Total world coir fiber production is 250,000 tonnes.
Coir (from Malayalam kayaru - cord) is a coarse fiber extracted from husk, the fibrous outer shell of a coconut.
Structure
The individual fiber cells are narrow and hollow, with thick walls made of cellulose. They are pale when immature but later become hardened and yellowed as a layer of lignin, is deposited on their walls. Mature brown coir fibers contain more lignin and less cellulose than fibers such as flax and cotton and so are stronger but less flexible. They are made up of small threads, each less than 0.05 inch (1.3 mm) long and 10 to 20 micrometers in diameter. White fiber is smoother and finer, but also weaker.
The coir fiber is relatively water-proof and is the only natural fiber resistant to damage by salt water.
Processing
Green coconuts, harvested after about six to twelve months on the plant, contain pliable white fibers. Brown fiber is obtained by harvesting fully mature coconuts when the nutritious layer surrounding the seed is ready to be processed into copra and desiccated coconut. The fibrous layer of the fruit is then separated from the hard shell (manually) by driving the fruit down onto a spike to split it(De-husking). Machines are now available which crush the whole fruit to give the loose fibers.
Brown fiber: The fibrous husks are soaked in pits or in nets in a slow moving body of water to swell and soften the fibers. The long bristle fibers are separated from the shorter mattress fibers underneath the skin of the nut, a process known as wet-milling. The mattress fibers are sifted to remove dirt and other rubbish, dried and packed into bales. Some mattress fiber is allowed to retain more moisture so that it retains its elasticity for 'twisted' fiber production. The coir fiber is elastic enough to twist without breaking and it holds a curl as though permanently waved. Twisting is done by simply making a rope of the hank of fiber and twisting it using a machine or by hand. The longer bristle fiber is washed in clean water and then dried before being tied into bundles or hunks. It may then be cleaned and 'hackled' by steel combs to straighten the fibers and remove any shorter fiber pieces. Coir bristle fiber can also be bleached and dyed to obtain hanks of different colors.
White fiber: The immature husks are suspended in a river or water-filled pit for up to ten months. During this time micro-organisms break down the plant tissues surrounding the fibers to loosen them - a process known as retting. Segments of the husk are then beaten by hand to separate out the long fibers which are subsequently dried and cleaned. Cleaned fiber is ready for spinning into yarn using a simple one-handed system or a spinning wheel.
Uses
Brown coir is used in brushes, doormats, mattresses and sacking. A small amount is also made into twine. Pads of curled brown coir fiber, made by needle-felting (a machine technique that mats the fibers together) are shaped and cut to fill mattresses and for use in erosion control on river banks and hillsides. A major proportion of brown coir pads are sprayed with rubber latex which bonds the fibers together (rubberized coir) to be used as upholstery padding for the automobile industry in Europe. The material is also used for insulation and packaging. The major use of white coir is in rope manufacture. Mats of woven coir fiber are made from the finer grades of bristle and white fiber using hand or mechanical looms.
Coir is recommended as substitute for milled peat moss because it is free of bacteria and fungal spores.
Total world coir fiber production is 250,000 tonnes. The coir fiber industry is particularly important in some areas of the developing world. India, mainly the coastal region of Kerala State, produces 60% of the total world supply of white coir fiber. Sri Lanka produces 36% of the total world brown fiber output. Over 50% of the coir fiber produced annually throughout the world is consumed in the countries of origin, mainly India.
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/coir). 10/29/04 |
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Twisted Fiber, Bristle Fiber and the Two Product FamiliesCoir processing divides the husk into products by length and character. Some mattress fiber is allowed to retain more moisture so that it retains its elasticity for twisted fiber production: the coir fiber is elastic enough to twist without breaking and holds a curl as though permanently waved, and twisting is done by simply making a rope of the hank of fiber and twisting it by machine or by hand. The longer bristle fiber is washed in clean water, dried, tied into bundles or hunks, and may be cleaned and hackled by steel combs to straighten the fibers and remove shorter pieces; bristle fiber can also be bleached and dyed to obtain hanks of different colours. Machines are now available which crush the whole fruit to give the loose fibers, replacing the manual de-husking in which the fruit is driven down onto a spike to split it. Each coir fiber thread is small, less than 0.05 inch, 1.3 millimetres, long and 10 to 20 micrometres in diameter, so every coir product is an assembly of very many short, stiff, lignin-hardened filaments acting together. Where Coir Is Produced and Why It Matters ThereThe coir fiber industry is particularly important in some areas of the developing world. India, mainly the coastal region of Kerala State, produces 60 percent of the total world supply of white coir fiber. Sri Lanka produces 36 percent of the total world brown fiber output. Over 50 percent of the coir fiber produced annually throughout the world is consumed in the countries of origin, mainly India. Coir is also recommended as a substitute for milled peat moss because it is free of bacteria and fungal spores. Its combination of salt water resistance, elasticity, and resistance to rotting in wet conditions gives it work that few other natural fibers can take: ropes and mats at the coast, erosion control on river banks and hillsides, and padding that must survive damp service. Common QuestionsWhat is the difference between brown coir and white coir?Brown fiber is obtained from fully mature coconuts harvested when the layer around the seed is ready to be processed into copra and desiccated coconut. White fiber comes from green, immature coconuts harvested after about six to twelve months; it is smoother and finer, but also weaker. Mature brown coir contains more lignin and less cellulose than fibers such as flax and cotton, so it is stronger but less flexible. How is coir fiber processed?After de-husking, brown fiber husks are soaked in pits or nets in slow-moving water to swell and soften, then the long bristle fibers are separated from the shorter mattress fibers in wet-milling. White fiber husks are suspended in a river or water-filled pit for up to ten months while micro-organisms break down the tissues around the fibers, a process called retting, and the long fibers are then beaten out by hand, dried and cleaned. What is coir used for?Brown coir is used in brushes, doormats, mattresses and sacking, and pads of curled brown coir are used for mattress filling, erosion control, and, sprayed with rubber latex, as rubberized coir upholstery padding. The major use of white coir is rope manufacture, and woven coir mats are made from the finer grades of bristle and white fiber. More to ExploreMore from Apparel Search: Fiber Definitions | Clothing Industry Glossary | Fashion Terms | Apparel Search Home
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