Coir Craft

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 3 2. GLOBAL PRESENCE 3 3. GEOGRAPHICAL REGION 3 4. PRACTITIONER COMMUNITY 4 5. MATERIAL 4

6.1 Coir 6.2 Fevicol 6.3 Wool 6.4 Cotton thread 6.5 Card board

6. TOOLS 6 7.1 Scissors 7.2 Plier 7.3 Needles 7.4 Measuring tape 7.5 Cello tape

7. PROCESS 7 8. PRODUCTS 9 9. INNOVATIONS 10 10. CHALLENGES 10 10. 1 Quality Assurance 10. 2 Market Intelligence

GLOSSARY 11 REFERENCES 12 APPENDIX 1 13

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1. Introduction

Woven magnificence is what you see in a coir product. The efforts behind manufacturing the raw materials are huge and involve several processes. Coir is a totally natural, eco-friendly and exceptionally tensile fiber extracted from the nuts of coconut palms. This natural wonder is available in abundance and finds various applications. A natural product, coir being biodegradable, environment friendly and echo proof makes it a high quality product from an eternally renewable source. The coconut palm has been eulogized as ‘Kalpvriksha’ the all giving tree in the classics of India. The use of coconut through out India makes it a symbol of national unity. Woven magnificence is what you see in a coir product. Coir or coconut fibre is used very artistically to make a wide range of eco-friendly toys, wall hangings, key rings, Christmas hangings, pen stands and other home decoratives. Coir products are 100% natural. This craft is unique as it is produced only in Orissa and not in any other coconut rich states of India.

2. Global Presence Fifteen countries of the Asia - Pacific region produce 86% of the coconut in the world. But only a handful of them are known to be coir producers. . India is the largest producers and exporter of coir and coir products. Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and now Vietnam are the other primary producers of coir with varying levels of production capabilities. Value addition in coir is at its best in India where the fibre is converted into exquisite floor coverings, Geotextiles, etc. which have earned a name in the International market. The coir industry, which was confined to Kerala, has now spread to other states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, etc. over the years largely on account of various developmental and promotional programmes.

3. Geographical Region

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Puri is located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal in eastern India. The capital of Orissa, Bhubaneswar, is only 65 km away. 45 kms away from Bhubaneswar is Patnaika, where in village Siriapur is located Batamangla Mahila Coir Industrial Co-Operative Society Ltd.

4. Practitioner Community

There are various castes and tribes in the village of Siriapur in Patnaika situated in Puri District such as Vaishya, Khandayak, Silcot, Dhobi, Brahmins. These people are mainly farmers who do farming in the suitable seasons.

5. Material

Raw material required for making coir toys and other coir products are very few and basic.

5.1 Coir Coir is traditionally processed from coconut husks cured in saline or freshwater for eight to ten months by process called “Retting” for increasing the flexibility, strength and durability of fiber.

[Photograph 1: The fibre is extracted through beating the retted husk with wooden mallets]

5.2 Availability Earlier coir used to be transported from Kerela. At that time it was as cheap as Rs.50 per quintal. Nowadays, it is available in the local markets of Orissa and its price is Rs.1150 per quintal (October 2004).

[Photograph 2: The fibre]

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The Wonders of Coir Fibre

Moth-proof Resistant to fungi and rot Provides excellent insulation against Temperature and sound. Not easily combustible Unaffected by moisture and dampness Tough and durable Resilient Easy to clean Totally static free

5.2 Fevicol

Fevicol is diluted with water and then used for pasting the fibre on the main body. After the completion of the product it is to be dipped in diluted fevicol for durability and stiffness.

5.3 Wool Coloured wool is used for surface ornamentation of coir products.

5.4 Card board

This is used provide proper shape and stiffness. The card board is cut into required shapes then fibre is stuck over the board.

5.5 Cotton thread

Cotton thread is used to wrap the forms or products made of coir fibre. This helps the product take a definite and a stable form.

[Photograph 3: Cotton Threads]

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6. Tools Simple hand operated tools are used for making coir toys.

6.1 Scissors Two sizes of scissors are used for different purposes. Small scissors are used for cutting thread and other small things. Big scissors are used for cutting the coir fibre.

[Photograph 4: Scissors]

6.2 Plier It is used while stitching; it is used for plucking out the needle from the coir toy.

[Photograph 5: Plier]

6.3 Needle It is used for stitching. The size of the needle depends on the type of work. 6.4 Measuring tape It is used for measurements.

[Photograph 6: Measuring Tape]

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6.5 Cello tape (adhesive tape) Workers use cello tape to wrap it on their fingers so as to prevent them from being cut by the stiff coir or by thread while tying the toys.

[Photograph 7: Cello Tape]

7. Process

7.1. The coir fibre is first sorted out and separated on the basis of their colour and other similarities. For making a toy, firstly, the design is to be finalised and made on the paper.

7.2Then according to the design they work on the proportion of the toys.

7.3 For simple and small products, the coir is simply tied with the thread to make desired products. Sometimes if the product is quite small for instance, a leaf then cardboard is cut into that shape and then coir is tied on it with thread and fevicol.

[Photograph 8, 9, 10: Process]

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[Photograph 11: A big toy or product is worked out in different parts. Different parts are made by different people and then all the parts are assembled together with the help of thread, needle and fevicol.

[Photograph 12, 13, 14: For example, if a monkey had to be made in coir, its legs, hands, nose, face, and tail all are made separately by different people.

[Photograph15: Then once they are made one or more people put the entire monkey together using scissors, thread, needle and fevicol.

[Photograph 16: Coloured wool is used for surface ornamentation like for eyes, clothes etc. depending on the design. Use of colour wool also enhances the look of the toy. For value addition, wooden beads and metal bells are also used].

7.4 After the completion of the toy or product, it is dipped into diluted fevicol. This is done, so that the thread stiffens up and does not open up. Fevicol solution provides

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better durability and stability to the product or toy. The final product may take two days to six months to complete depending upon the size of the product.

8. Products

Products made out of coir fibre are mainly decorative products. The toys made of coir are very popular as Educational products, used for teaching children in nursery and kindergarten schools. Some utility products have come into existence during recent times. The price range of these products starts from Rs.50 to Rs.20,000(October 2004).

[Photographs: Finished Products]

The product range consists of: Toys

Wall hangings

Pen stands

Coasters

Magazine racks

Decorative items

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9. Innovations

Apart from its traditional use as rope, yarn, and floor coverings, coir fibre is finding new applications as an eco-friendly substitute for wood and synthetics. It is a long term bio-degradable geo-fabric for soil bioengineering and garden articles. The by- product of coir industry, coir pith, is increasingly being used as a soil conditioner. The future of coir industry depends on the non-traditional areas and non-conventional products.

10. Challenges

10.1 Quality Assurance Quality of coir products is often difficult to maintain because of the very nature and availability of the raw-materials like fibre, yarn, dyes, chemicals, etc. Besides, the production infrastructure like looms are obsolete and often in dilapidated condition. The workmanship of thousands of skilled and semi-skilled workers vary substantially that homogeneity and standardization are hard to achieve. Obviously quality is the casualty. Training for skill development and extension programmes for quality upgradation of the widely scattered tiny household units and their maintenance are critical in improving the current state of affairs. 10.2 Market Intelligence Inadequacy of ready to use information keeps the manufacturers, mostly small in size, ignorant of the market condition and consumer preferences - a situation that no industry can afford in this era of globalization. The Coir Board has recently set up a Coir Trade Centre at Kochi, which hopefully would meet this badly felt need of the industry.

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Glossary

Dilute is a mixture of water and fevicol Husk is a fiber out of dried coconut. Quintal is a measuring unit which is equal to 100 kilograms.

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References

1. www.trust revival.com 2. www.ilo.org 3. www.handicraft wholesaller.com/about craft-coir.asp 4. www.web india123.html

Contact person 1. Mrs. Niramini Sahoo Batamangla Mahila Coir Industrial Co-Operative Society Ltd. Village Siriapur P.O. Patnaika Dist : Puri Orissa Ph : 06752-248879 2. Mrs. Anjana Shah Batamangla Mahila Coir Industrial Co-Operative Society Ltd. Village Siriapur P.O. Patnaika Dist : Puri Orissa Ph : 06752-248879

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APPENDIX I

Interview with the master craftsman

Niramani Sahoo is a lady working with coir for the past 45 years. The society she works for is “Batamangla Mahila Coir Industrial Co-Operative Society Limited’. This society provides women and girls of the village with employment along with education. The women of the village can either work in the space provided for work or can take the work home and finish a prescribed amount of work and they are then paid accordingly.

The craftsmen are happy with their socio economic status. They are getting orders from in and around Orissa. They also export their products to various countries like Japan, America etc. Due to timely design intervention the coir products are able to keep up with the growing competition.