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.