The Coir Board Showroom on M G Road presents fabulous coir creations. It's not easy for a customer to choose among the products displayed there. The coir is processed with expert handwork to make it beautiful and environment-friendly furnishing. Handmade coir is versatile enough for mats, ropes, rugs and tiles (floor, ceiling and wall), all intricately, spun and woven.Coir is a gift of nature, extracted from raw coconut husks. Coir is meticulously hand crafted in quiet little villages near the serene backwaters of Kerala and other southern states.

Coir Board is a body set up by the Government of India. The prime objective of the board is the development of the coir industry in the country by promoting domestic and international markets for Indian coir.

Let's have a look at the coir products available in the showroom: natural and solid colours, woven designs. Available as ovals and rectangular ones, in sizes 550 mm x 330 mm upward.

Creel Mats: Low pile mats, available in two types-The beach creel and the Vycome Creel. In woven jasper, mottled and striped patterns, as well as stencilled and bevelled patterns in natural and solid colours.

Carnatic Mats: This variety with 13 mm pile is available in natural and solid shades. These are recommended for car mats and wall-to-wall carpeting, with or without latex backing.

Rod Mats: Brush mats available in natural colour, with stencilled and inlaid designs. Two types, the beach rod and the Vycome Rod.

Matting Mats: Matting made or cut to mat sizes, available in natural and solid colour, woven patterns, stripes, jasper and stencilled designs. Cut edges generally stitched, tucked back or rubber-edged to suit requirements. Rubber or foam backed for added stability.

Corridor mats: Non-brush mats with ribbed effect on both sides. Available in natural and solid colours and woven designs.

Mesh Mats: Non-brush mats with a regular mesh affect achieved by special knotting. Available in natural and solid shades and intricate designs.

Rope Mats: Made from coir rope, in natural, solid and multicolour. Available in regular oval and round shapes.

Sinner Mats: Non-brush, reversible, made with coir braids, either in single chain or double. Available in natural, solid and multicolour.

Loop Mats: Mats surfaced with uncut pile loops. Also available loop tiles in mat or largest sizes.

Coir Mattings: These are woven on traditional handlooms or on power looms. Used mainly as floor covering, floor runners, wall-to-wall carpeting and wall and ceiling panelling. Having excellent heat insulation and sound absorption properties. Rubber/latex backing optional. Available in a rang of woven and printed designs in natural and solid colours. Width varies from 45 cms to 4 meters in rolls of 25-50 meters.

Matting Tiles: Rubber/latex backed coir-matting tiles. They are non-skid, ideal for wall-to-wall carpeting. Generally available in 50 cm squares.

Coir Mourzouks: The wearing surface is formed by weft yarn. Intricate designs notwithstanding, heavy and more durable than matting. Available in natural and solid shades, in stencilled, floral and geometrical designs. In standard mat, rug and carpet sizes as well as in rolls.

Rubberised Coir: Brown coir fibre, sprayed with rubber latex and vulcanised to yield rubberised coir. Springy cushioning for mattresses, pillows, cushions, upholstery, packing moulds, air-filters, under laid-carpets, etc. Rubberised coir mattresses are especially recommended for firm support.

Yarn: Available in a wide range varieties. Excellent for use as cordage, and for agricultural and allied applications.

Coir Geo-fabrics: Woven coir netting or mesh matting. It is inexpensive, quick and effective for control or soil erosion, landslides, and slope stabilisation and for other civil engineering applications.

Read about Ramanna Naik, MD of Karnataka State Coir Development Corpn Ltd

Y Rama Mohan

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