Coconut fibre or coir, is a natural fibre extracted from the outer husk of coconut. Coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes and mattresses.
Coconut fiber has a high lignin content and thus a low cellulose content, as a result of which it is resilient, strong and highly durable. The remarkable lightness of the fibers is due to the cavities arising from the dried out sieve cells. The best grade fibers are light in color, gold-yellow (fiber from unripe coconuts) or brown (fiber from ripe coconuts).
Other uses of brown coir (made from ripe coconut) are in upholstery padding, sacking and horticulture. White coir, harvested from unripe coconuts, is used for making finer brushes, string, rope and fishing nets.
