Portal:Kerala/Selected pictures/Selected picture 7

Coir (Etymological origin: from Tamil and Malayalam - kayar - cord) is a coarse fibre extracted from the fibrous outer shell of a coconut. Much of the world's coir is produced in India, mainly in the coastal region of Kerala state which produces 60% of the total world supply of white coir fibre. Immature coconut 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 fibres to loosen them - a process known as retting. Segments of the husk are then beaten by hand to separate out the long fibres which are subsequently dried and cleaned. Cleaned fibre is ready for spinning into yarn using a simple one-handed system or a spinning wheel.

Photo credit: KenWalker, FlickrLickr