‘Learn the ropes’ of turning Coconut Fiber into more than ropes
Not just an idiom since the last 140 years in Sri Lanka, you can now drop in for a visit at a half-decade old factory in Bolawattha for coconut husking lessons! Coconut Coir, or coconut fibre, is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of a coconut and is used to make items such as floor mats, doormats, brushes and mattresses! Brown coir are in upholstery padding, sacking and horticulture. White coir is used for making finer brushes, string, rope and even fishing nets! Small-scale, home-based manufacturers used to manually separate 2,000 coconuts per day. Today, due to the increased demand for eco products, machines work to crush the whole fruit and produce the loose fibres. These machines can process up to 2,000 coconuts per hour!