What is coco-fibre?
Coco-fibre is a natural by-product of the age-old coco-palm cultivation industry. Virtually every part of the coco palm is utilised either for food products or highly durable house-hold items.
Coco fibres derive from the shell of the coconut: a natural
product. Coco fibres' durability can be compared to that of tropical hardwood. It
is a tough material that for centuries has been used in the production of mooring
ropes and doormats. Because coco fibres absorb little water, the fibres will not
show any signs of decay. Mould or moss therefore will not have the chance to develop.
Greenscreen uses coco fibre products from Sri Lanka. These products undergo frequent
quality control sessions ensuring an EU stipulated salt level not exceeding 0.5Ms/cm.
After the coconuts have been collected from the trees, the nuts
will be stripped of their outer husk, thereby extracting the fibrous material. The
copra and the pulp are housed in the hard inner nut. Theouter husk of the coconut
is soaked in water for six months. This allows for easier "combing" later.
When the husks have been soaked long enough, the fibres
will be "combed" in a special machine which contains large revolving
drums with planks that have nails attached to it. The drums rotate at a high speed
loosening the fibres by pressing the husk against the drum walls. The thick Bristle
fibres - the husk's main fibres - are the result of this process. Lodged between the Bristle fibres are the so-called Mattress fibres. These fibres are somewhat
shorter and more elastic. These Mattress fibres appear at the back of the revolving
drums and are used for the production of coco poles. Mattress fibres are also used
in the production for mattresses and car seats.
The combed fibres are led through a revolving gauze drum, extracting the cocopeat, which is used by professional growers
as a seed-starting product. The clean fibres are subsequently bundled into small,
loose parcels and transported from the mill to coco fibre suppliers.
Having reached our supplier, the
fibre bundles will be shaken once more so that the last amounts of coco peat are
extracted, the fibres are then pressed into tight bales weighing in at
125 kilograms each.