Coir spinning machine, in Kerala

From the archive record

One can see a coir spinning machine use at a coir industry in Kalavoor, Kerala. Kerala is known as the home of coir industry in India. Coir is the only natural fibre that does not get cultivated solely to extract the coir... Coir rope-making is a common cottage industry in India. The Coconut fibre is attached to hooks on a wheel that is turned by hand. This twists the coir while more is added. It forms a strong rope that doesn’t unwind or break. Among the natural fibre, coir has some unique characteristic particularly its rigidity, durability and friction. The number of strands required for a strand of rope is determined by the diameter of the strand and the fineness of the yarn used. The diameter of the strand is in turn determined by the diameter of the rope and number of the strands con