Production

German Fashion Designer Creates Clothes from Milk

Yes, that white stuff co­­ws make. Anke Domaske, a German fashion designer/microbiologist, has found a way to create a special fiber from milk and use it to make fashionable eco-clothes.

The 28-year-old designer realized there’s more to milk than meets the eye, and since she’s always had a thing for science, she and her team spent years experimenting with turning it into eco-thread. It was a lot like experimenting ingredients you have in your cupboard, only in this case the result was truly revolutionary. They came up with a special mixture containing a protein derived from sour milk, which is processed in a lab, near the German city of Brehmen. It’s heated up and pressed through a kind of mincing machine to create the threads. And the best thing is the milk used is low grade and would normally be thrown away.

But how does a fashion designer come up with a complicated formula for creating bio thread from milk? Anke Domaske learned to make clothes as a child, from her great grandmother, a milliner, but she also had a passion for science and even won a contest for up-and-coming scientists, as a teenager. After she finished school she went to Tokyo, Japan, where she sold t-shirts she designed herself. On her return home she began studying microbiology and set-up her own fashion label on the side. In short she managed to balance her two greatest interests and the result is astonishing.

One of the big qualities of milk fiber is that it has a silky texture, and unlike real silk, it can be produced without the use of pesticides. The fabric making process is also much more environment-friendly and considerably cheaper. Milk fabric is made of protein so you can wash it normally, and it’s really easy to care for. Although most of us see milk as just a food product, it appears it’s actually a wonderful natural resource that can be used for things we never even dreamed.

Anke Domaske’s revolutionary milk fiber fashion is going on show this summer, and she’s already received inquiries from all over the world. Next she plans to work on a men’s line. Her designer clothes are priced between €150 ($214) and €200 ($286), which really isn’t very much for the eco-luxury market.

Coir (from Malayalam kayaru - cord) is a coarse fibre extracted from husk, the fibrous outer shell of a coconut.

Structure

The individual fibre cells are narrow and hollow, with thick walls made of cellulose. They are pale when immature but later become hardened and yellowed as a layer of lignin, is deposited on their walls. Mature brown coir fibres contain more lignin and less cellulose than fibres such as flax and cotton and so are stronger but less flexible. They are made up of small threads, each less than 0.05 inch (1.3 mm) long and 10 to 20 micrometres in diameter. White fibre is smoother and finer, but also weaker.
The coir fibre is relatively water-proof and is the only natural fibre resistant to damage by salt water.

Processing

Green coconuts, harvested after about six to twelve months on the plant, contain pliable white fibres. Brown fibre is obtained by harvesting fully mature coconuts when the nutritious layer surrounding the seed is ready to be processed into copra and desiccated coconut. The fibrous layer of the fruit is then separated from the hard shell (manually) by driving the fruit down onto a spike to split it(De-husking). Machines are now available which crush the whole fruit to give the loose fibres.Brown fibre: The fibrous husks are soaked in pits or in nets in a slow moving body of water to swell and soften the fibres. The long bristle fibres are separated from the shorter mattress fibres underneath the skin of the nut, a process known as wet-milling. The mattress fibres are sifted to remove dirt and other rubbish, dried and packed into bales. Some mattress fibre is allowed to retain more moisture so that it retains its elasticity for 'twisted' fibre production. The coir fibre is elastic enough to twist without breaking and it holds a curl as though permanently waved. Twisting is done by simply making a rope of the hank of fibre and twisting it using a machine or by hand. The longer bristle fibre is washed in clean water and then dried before being tied into bundles or hunks. It may then be cleaned and 'hackled' by steel combs to straighten the fibres and remove any shorter fibre pieces. Coir bristle fibre can also be bleached and dyed to obtain hanks of different colours.
White fibre: The immature husks are suspended in a river or water-filled pit for up to ten months. During this timemicro-organisms break down the plant tissues surrounding the fibres to loosen them - a process known as retting. Segments of the husk are then beaten by hand to separate out the long fibres which are subsequently dried and cleaned. Cleaned fibre is ready for spinning into yarn using a simple one-handed system or a spinning wheel.

a picture from Sri Lanka Coconut fibre production

a salesclerk waiting for clients

An overrun of coconuts

Sri Lanka is the most common used country when it comes to the production of coconuts.

They still work with handcraft and they are absolute expertises in their production ways.

	Coconut and Coconut Products
	Desiccated Coconut Desiccated coconut, made out of coconut kernel, is used in the confectionery industry. There are 62 mills in Sri Lanka and the approximate total production per annum is 75,000 metric tons. All mills have quality control laboratories. Product Description Colour - Natural White Moisture - Maximum 3% on dry basis Fat Content - Minimum 65% on dry basis Fat Content - Minimum 65% on dry basis Major Markets European Union, Finland, Turkey, Egypt, UAE and Brazil. Coir Twine Made out of bristle fibre (long fibre) or bristle fibre mixed with omatt fibre (short fibre) according to buyer specifications. Major Markets USA, UK, France, South Korea and Japan. Door Mats (Hand made/Machine made) Door mats are made out of coir twine or yarn or coir fibre mixed with jute yarn. Major Markets European Union and Bulgaria. Door Mats (Coir with steel springs) Door mats are made out of coir fibre using steel springs, especially suitable for winter. Major Markets Germany, Netherlands and UK. Charcoal Briquettes This product, made out of coconut shell, is especially processed for outdoor and indoor barbeques as well as for domestic heating. Major Markets Middle East Activated Carbon The raw material used for the manufacture of activated carbon is coconut shell charcoal. Coconut shell charcoal, unlike wood and coal, is not chemically activated and is therefore ideally suited for use in food processing and the manufacture of medicines. These can be used in various industries for purification. Major Markets USA, South Africa, UK, Japan and Canada.		Geotextiles Geotextiles, used for soil stabilization, landscaping and erosion control, are environmentally-friendly. Major Markets South Korea, Japan, Netherlands and Germany. Rubberised Coir Products for Horticultural and Agricultural Industry Inner layers of flower pots, basket liners, support poles for creepers and rubberised coir geotextiles are manufactured by spraying coir fibre with compounded latex. Major Markets Korea, Japan, Netherlands and Germany. Rubberised Coir Mattresses Mixture of coir fibre and latex is steam heated, pressed and vulcanized to produce mattresses. Major Markets Germany and Japan. Coco Peat Products In the process of extracting fibre from the coconut husk, the residue, which consists mainly of a powdery mixture, is known as coco peat and is used as a substitute for peat moss in Europe. Exported in briquettes, blocks, disks or grow bags and forms. Major Markets Netherlands, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Coconut Cream and Milk 100% pure concentrate of coconut kernel without artificial flavours or preservatives is used in curries and desserts. Major Markets UK, Middle East, Netherlands, Australia, France and Germany.

The Manufacturing Process

Harvesting and husking

• 1 Coconuts that have ripened and fallen from the tree may simply be picked up off.
  The outer layers covering the coconut seed are processed and spun into fibers commonly known as coir. Coconuts still clinging to the 40-100 ft (12-30 m) tall trees are harvested by human climbers. If the climber picks the fruit by hand, he can harvest fruits from about 25 trees in a day. If the climber uses a bamboo pole with a knife attached to the end to reach through the treetop vegetation and cut selected coconuts loose, he can harvest 250 trees per day. (A third harvesting technique, in which trained monkeys climb trees to pick ripe coconuts, is used only in countries that produce little commercial coir.)
• 2 Ripe coconuts are husked immediately, but unripe coconuts may be seasoned for a month by spreading them in a single layer on the ground and keeping them dry. To remove the fruit from the seed, the coconut is impaled on a steel-tipped spike to split the husk. The pulp layer is easily peeled off. A skilled husker can manually split and peel about 2,000 coconuts per day. Modern husking machines can process 2,000 coconuts per hour.

Retting

Retting is a curing process during which the husks are kept in an environment that encourages the action of naturally occurring microbes. This action partially decomposes the husk's pulp, allowing it to be separated into coir fibers and a residue called coir pith. Freshwater retting is used for fully ripe coconut husks, and saltwater retting is used for green husks.

• 3 For freshwater retting, ripe husks are buried in pits dug along riverbanks, immersed in water-filled concrete tanks, or suspended by nets in a river and weighted to keep them submerged. The husks typically soak at least six months.
• 4 For saltwater retting, green husks are soaked in seawater or artificially salinated fresh water. Often this is accomplished by placing them in pits along riverbanks near the ocean, where tidal action alternately covers them with sea water and rinses them with river water. Saltwater retting usually takes eight to 10 months, although adding the proper bacteria to the water can shorten the retting period to a few days.
• 5 Mechanical techniques have recently been developed to hasten or eliminate retting. Ripe husks can be processed in crushing machines after being retted for only seven to 10 days. Immature husks can be dry milled without any retting. After passing through the crushing machine, these green husks need only be dampened with water or soaked one to two days before proceeding to the defibering step. Dry milling produces only mattress fiber.

Defibering

• 6 Traditionally, workers beat the retted pulp with wooden mallets to separate the fibers from the pith and the outer skin. In recent years, motorized machines have been developed with flat beater arms operating inside steel drums. Separation of the bristle fibers is accomplished by hand or in a machine consisting of a rotating drum fitted with steel spikes.
• 7 Separation of the mattress fibers from the pith is completed by washing the residue from the defibering process and combing through it by hand or tumbling it in a perforated drum or sieve. (Saltwater retting produces only mattress fibers.)
• 8 The clean fibers are spread loosely on the ground to dry in the sun.

Finishing

• 9 Bristle fibers that will not immediately be further processed are rolled and tied into loose bundles for storage or shipment. More mechanized producers may use a hydraulic press to create compact bales.
• 10 Similarly, mattress fibers may simply be baled with a hydraulic press. However, if more processing is desired, the fibers are combed with mechanical or manual carding tools, then loosely twisted into a thick yarn (wick), and wound into bundles. Later, the wick can be re-spun into a finer yarn. Techniques vary from simple hand spinning to use of a hand-operated spinning wheel or a fully automated spinning machine.
• 11 Depending on its intended final use, the yarn may be shipped to customers, or multiple strands may be twisted into twine and bundled for shipment. Both traditional manual techniques and newer mechanical methods are used to braid twine into rope and to weave yarn into mats or nets.
• 12 For some uses, such as upholstery padding, bristle fiber is loosely spun into yarn and allowed to rest. Then the fibers, which have become curly, are separated. These fibers are lightly felted into mats that are sprayed with latex rubber, dried, and vulcanized (heat treated with sulphur).

 

Cocona Clothing

What is Cocona fabric enchancer?

Cocona is a fabric enhancer with activated carbon made from coconut shells. The technology was designed as a coating for a Chemical Defense program to adsorb chemical agents into the carbon pores so that they would not come into contact with the users skin. The coatings ended up being too “messy” to use for apparel. So, Dr. Greg Haggquist invented a way to permanently embed the activated coconut carbon into polymers for high performance outdoor clothing.

What are the benefits of cocona in clothing?

Unprocessed coconut shells 

Cocona fabrics offer a natural solution incorporated into the yarns and fibers which provides enhanced performance without adding steps and costs for additional finishes. By using natural ingredients incorporated into yarns and fibers, there are no harsh chemicals or topical treatments to irritate the skin.

It rapidly moves perspiration over an enormous surface area which is created by the pores of the activated carbon leading to enhanced cooling. These carbon pores also absorb and trap surface odours to prevent any bad smells, so after a long day on the hills you can head out to the pub and not worry about no one wanting to stand next to you. Cocona also has a UPF 50+ rating which indicates that 98% of UV is blocked.

What are the environmental benefits of cocona?

Cocona technology utilizes recycled coconut shells that would have gone to landfills. Suppliers convert the coconut shells into activated carbon, primarily for the air and water filtration industries. Cocona uses the particles that are too small to use in water and air filters, apply their processes and then combine it with other fabrics. While this is not a completely “green” process it is much better than using chemicals to treat the materials.

Cocona Fabric is made with Natural Technology

Cocona fabrics are quick-drying, odor- and UV-managing technical fabrics made from recycled coconut shells, a natural and renewable resource.

Combining multiple features and benefits into an environmentally friendly technology.

Cocona fabrics offer superior comfort and enhanced performance in a variety of clothing applications.

Cocona fabrics provide protection from harmful UV rays, successfully manage odors, static, and moisture. Independent laboratory tests measuring the amount of time a wet fabric takes to dry at room temperature, fabrics made with Cocona dried significantly faster than other leading moisture-wicking fabrics including polyester (50% faster), cotton (92% faster), and bamboo (96% faster). Fabrics made with Cocona yarns and fibers are inherently lightweight, comfortable, and easy-care.

Cocona fabrics are made utilizing a natural technology that incorporates activated carbon made from coconut shells.

This activated carbon is infused into polyester fiber which is then blended with other fibers to create performance fabrics. Activated carbon has been used for centuries to purify drinking water and to absorb toxins.

When incorporated into yarns and fibers, it creates a fabric that provides highly effective evaporative cooling, odor control, and superior UV protection, up to 50+UPF (the highest possible rating). Because Cocona technology is inside the fiber, it cannot wash off or wear out like ordinary surface treatments to fabrics.

The distinctive benefits of Cocona fabric include:

• Evaporative Cooling - Cocona fabrics dry faster providing increased comfort while reducing the amount of time and energy required to dry garments after washing.
• Easy Care - Cocona resists wrinkles. The fabric traps odors to keep the clothing fresher longer, and reducing the need for daily washing.
• Durable - Cocona performance is permanently embedded in the yarn and will not wash out. Cocona clothing lasts longer than items made from other organic fabrics such as pure cotton or bamboo.
• Comfort - Clothes made using Cocona yarn are available in all weights for items that feel softer, stay fresher, and wear more comfortably than other fabrics.

Process of making Coir Fabric

The word 'coir' is believed to be derived from the Malayalam word Kayar that means a cord (string). Coir fabric is obtained from the fibrous husk, which surrounds the coconut. Green coconuts are harvested after six to twelve months on the plant, which contain white fibers. Mature coconut contains brown fiber. The fibrous layer is separated from the fruit either manually or by machines.

In case of brown fiber, the separated husks are soaked in a slow moving body of water allowing it to swell and to become soft. The coir bristle fiber is put apart from the shorter one and is send for washing in clean water. Sometimes, it is also cleaned by steel combs to make the fibers straight and remove any leftover of shorter pieces. If required, it is bleached and dyed to obtain the required shades.

For white fiber, the husks are put into a river or water-filled pit for approximately ten months. In these ten months, the fibers are loosen. The longer fibers are separated from the shorter one by beating with hand. It is subsequently dried and then cleaned. The cleaned fiber is send for spinning into yarn.

Characteristics of Coir Fabric

• It is buoyant.

• It is stress resistant.
• It is environmental friendly.
• It is biodegradable.
• It is free of bacteria.

Uses of Coir Fabric

Brown coir fabric is used in floormats, doormats, mattresses, sack, twine, etc. White coir fabric is used as ropes. Since ages, coir fabric has been used to produce rope for ships and for making bags.

Coir geotextiles is used for ground improvement of soft clays, construction of low height bunds and protection for canal banks and beaches, base separators for road construction and railway ballast protection.

 

66°NORTH is the first Icelandic company to design and sell clothes made from CoconaTM

Recently, 66°NORTH started selling clothes made from a fabric named CoconaTM. The fabric is made from the activated carbon of recycled coconut shells. The carbon from the coconut shell is woven into the fibre which increases the performance of the fabric. CoconaTM is environmentally friendly and the coconut carbon replenishes itself when washed. The fabric was given the prestigious Invention of the Year Award in 2005 by Time Magazine.

The CoconaTM fabric excels over other similar fabrics in three fields:

1. Breathing and cooling: the coconut carbon woven into the fibre increases the ability of the fabric to draw moisture from the skin. The carbon particles are irregularly shaped so the moisture accumulates in small hollows on the carbon’s surface, which then unloads the moisture by evaporation. This process means the wearer stays dry, and the process also has a cooling effect.

• Tests have been conducted in which the characteristics of CoconaTM and other fabrics were compared. These revealed that using CoconaTM increased moisture absorption by 50%, compared to ordinary Polyester, and was 45% better than the fabric that until now has been considered best in the world.

2. Protection against UV rays: The coconut shell carbon woven into the fibre increases the fabric’s performance in protecting the wearer from ultraviolet rays by absorbing the rays rather than letting them reflect onto the skin. CoconaTM is then able to protect the skin from damage caused by the sun’s rays.

• The fabric’s ability to protect the wearer against UV rays is increased fourfold by weaving the coconut shell carbon into the fabric.

3. Minimises body odour: Since the surface of the coconut carbon is uneven, then it also absorbs various odour molecules into the small hollows, and minimises bad smells. The fabric retains them there until the carbon replenishes itself when washed.

The Manufacturing Process:

Harvesting and husking

• 1 Coconuts that have ripened and fallen from the tree may simply be picked up off

The outer layers covering the coconut seed are processed and spun into fibers commonly known as coir.

Coconuts still clinging to the 40-100 ft (12-30 m) tall trees are harvested by human climbers. If the climber picks the fruit by hand, he can harvest fruits from about 25 trees in a day. If the climber uses a bamboo pole with a knife attached to the end to reach through the treetop vegetation and cut selected coconuts loose, he can harvest 250 trees per day. (A third harvesting technique, in which trained monkeys climb trees to pick ripe coconuts, is used only in countries that produce little commercial coir.)

• 2 Ripe coconuts are husked immediately, but unripe coconuts may be seasoned for a month by spreading them in a single layer on the ground and keeping them dry. To remove the fruit from the seed, the coconut is impaled on a steel-tipped spike to split the husk. The pulp layer is easily peeled off. A skilled husker can manually split and peel about 2,000 coconuts per day. Modern husking machines can process 2,000 coconuts per hour.

Coconut - Tree of Life

1 Coconut production

Coconut trees are grown in tropical countries mainly for the high oil content of the endosperm (copra), which is widely used in both food and non-food industries (e.g. margarine and soaps). Large production areas, in particular, are found along the coastal regions in the wet tropical areas of Asia in the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. (See Table 1). In these countries millions of people make a living from the coconut palm and its many products.

Table 1: Coconut production in major producing countries¹

COUNTRY	1979-81	1988-90	1991-93	1994-96	1997-98	%
million tonnes
Indonesia	11 200	12 317	14 380	13 990	14 710	30.3
Philippines	9 142	8 910	9 079	11 586	11 273	23.2
India	4 192	6 188	7 590	9 718	9 900	20.4
Sri Lanka	1 692	1 828	1 689	2 009	1 999	4.1
Malaysia	1 211	1 061	1 033	1 003	967	2.0
Thailand	781	1 433	1 379	1 433	1 430	2.9
Other Asia	564	1 312	1 553	1 666	1 825	3.7
Total Asia	28 782	33 048	36 703	41 405	42 104	86.7
Mozambique	453	420	425	439	445	0.9
Tanzania	310	358	357	370	355	0.7
Other Africa	890	1 158	952	975	1 011	2.1
Total Africa	1 653	1 936	1 734	1 784	1 811	3.7
Oceania	2 317	2 213	1 891	1 866	1 878	3.8
Latin America	2 266	2 807	2 945	2 359	2 311	4.7
TOTAL WORLD	35 018	40 005	43 274	47 854	48 525	100

Total world productivity has increased substantially from 35 million tonnes around 1980 to almost 50 million tonnes today. Yield varies from region to region (3 500 to 6 000 nuts/ha/year), which is due to a number of factors. One tree may yield on average 70-100 nuts to a maximum of 150 nuts per year. The kernel (copra, coco-water and shell) comprises 65 per cent of total weight, while the husk contributes 35 per cent.

Besides the valuable contents of the nuts, the palm yields husks, shells, leaves and the stem which are used domestically as raw materials for many products from fuel to building materials.

2 Coir

Coir fibres are extracted from the husks surrounding the coconut (Figure 1). In most areas coir is a by-product of copra production, and the husks are left on the fields as a mulch or used as fertilizer because of high potash content. India and Sri Lanka are the main countries where coir is extracted by traditional methods for the commercial production of a variety of products, including brushes and brooms, ropes and yarns for nets and bags and mats, and padding for mattresses. However, world wide only a small part of the fibres available are currently used for these purposes (Table 2). The average fibre yield is dependent on geographical area and the variety of the coconut tree. In the south of India and Sri Lanka, for example, where the best quality fibres are produced the average yield is 80-90 g fibre per husk. Caribbean husks, by contrast, are relatively thick and may yield up to 150 g of fibre.

Figure 1 - Cross-section of coconut

Table 2: Estimation of the availability of coir raw materials

	PHILIPPINES	INDONESIA	INDIA	SRI LANKA
tonnes
Potential Fibre production #	700 000	1 000 000	600 000	260 000
Fibre Industry	-	-	300 000	100 000
Domestic use *	70 000	100 000	60 000	26 000
Non-extracted fibres	630 000	900 000	240 000	134 000

# Estimated annual coconut production capacity × fibre yield (80-90 g/nut)
* Estimated 10 per cent of total production

Husks are composed of 70 per cent pith and 30 per cent fibre on a dry weight basis. The ratio of yield of long, medium and short fibre, respectively, is on average 60:30:10. Based on these data and combined with the production data in Table 1, the maximum total world production of coir fibre (included short fibres) can be estimated to range between 5 and 6 million tonnes per year. Only a small part (less than 10 per cent) of this potential enters commercial trade. Continuous expanding production of brown fibre reached 216 000 tonnes (70 per cent India, 27 per cent Sri Lanka) in 1996, while white fibre production (again, mainly in India) has remained stable at 125 000 tonnes²

3 Coir markets

Coir has faced a declining market for traditional products in recent decades. Despite their comparatively low trade value, the fibres provide significant economic support to populations in specific areas of the producing countries (for example, in the southern Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and in west and south Sri Lanka). Women in these areas are particularly dependent on coir production for their livelihood.

Traditionally, coir has been processed into a range of products such as yarns for the production of floor coverings, mats and matting, cordage and nets, bristle fibres for brooms and brushes, and for use with domestic mattress and upholstery industries. These markets have been dwindling in recent years due to strong competition from synthetic products. However, there is a firm trend in the industrial countries towards the production and use of more environmentally benign products and systems, which may help to mitigate the adverse ecological affects of current production methods. The effects of chemical industries, atmospheric degradation, global warming, fast-declining natural resource base, deforestation, waste production, pollution and similar global issues have increased the demand for environmentally benign products. Renewable raw materials such as plant fibres and products, therefore, may have good market perspectives if they can be produced at an economically competitive price and on a scale where quality and supply can be guaranteed³ Currently, expanding export markets for coir can be seen in the demand for erosion control mats and other geotextile applications for civil engineering, or in the demand from the automotive and mattress industries for rubberised coir pads⁴.

4 Coir market diversification

Cost effective and environmentally safe technologies have been investigated for drying, bleaching, softening and dyeing of fibre and yarn, and for fast printing of coir products to encourage increased demand for coir products (fibre, yarn, door mats, matting, runners and carpets). To upgrade coir products to meet the standards required of export markets, efforts must start at village production levels. Marketing of ecologically safe coir products should imply and include, however, the whole production chain from fibre extraction to end product and disposal or re-use when no longer required. It follows that production methods should be safe for the health of the workers involved in the coir industry, without negative effects on production performance.

Demand for geotextile products is increasing, but still comprises only two per cent of the total volume of coir exports from India (April-October 1998).

A large number of alternative end uses for coir based products may become feasible, for example, for the production of fibre reinforced composite materials, fibreboard and similar building materials (for example, for insulation)^5,6. Innovative product development and marketing requires concerted action by a number of different players in the production chain. The close involvement of local governments, combined with investment by private enterprises and the support of public research institutions is required for innovation, manufacturing and sales.

5 Coir pith

As a by-product of coir fibre extraction large quantities of pith are obtained, which have been accumulating at production sites over the years. The extraction of 1 kg of fibre generates more than 2 kg of coir pith. Recently, however, the product has gained commercial interest as a substitute for peat moss in horticultural substrate cultivation. Low susceptibility to biodegradation and a highly porous structure enables coir pith to absorb large volumes of water (more than 50 per cent by weight), which makes it highly suitable in a potting mixture. For horticultural use, the product has to meet specific chemical and biological standards of pH, electrical conductivity and elemental composition⁷. Repression of sodium and potassium from the cation complex of the coir may be desirable for many sensitive horticultural products. Technical information to describe microbial contamination and product safety is another concern for users.

Exports of coir pith from India has increased from less than two per cent of the volume produced in 1997 to almost four per cent in 1998. Coir pith is also supplied from other production areas (e.g. Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Indonesia), and the penetration of coir pith into markets for horticultural and garden substrates is gaining interest⁸.

6 Charcoal

Coconuts shells, which comprises 12 per cent of the weight of the coconut, could be utilized more efficiently. Commercial production of charcoal from the coconut shell provides for an increasingly important export market for cocos producing areas. Carbonization of one tonne of coconut shells produces of the order 300 kg of charcoal, which can be converted into 120 kg of activated carbon. The combustion of waste gases can be utilized to enhance the efficiency of the processes and to generate power. The market for activated carbon in filter materials, absorbents and similar uses could be increased substantially if controlled processing and product certification were available. An alternative domestic application for charcoal could be as fuel for cooking or for drying agricultural products (for example, copra and/or coir).

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