Quality Specifications

Contents Quality standards for:
Retted Coir Fibre (White Fibre), Brown Fibre , Coir Yarn, Rod Mats, Fibre Mats, Creel Mats, Powerloom Creel Mats, Sinnet or Chain mats, Corridor Mats, Lovers Knot mats, P.V.C. Tuffted mats, Carpets
Retted Coir Fibre / White Fibre
Retted coir fibre, also called white fibre, is extracted from green natural coconut husks after retting in flowing, circulating or changed water for a period of minimum three months. However, if the fibre is made out of precrushed husks the retting period could be reduced suitably. The fibre shall be free from moisture and impurities.
Grade Colour Maximum Impurities
percent by weight
1 Natural bright 2.0
2 Natural light brown and/or light grey 3.0
3 Natural brown and/or grey 5.0
4 Natural dark brown and/or dark grey 7.0
Length of Fibre
T
he length of fibres shall be designated as follows:
Designation Length cm.
‘Long’ Over 15
‘Medium’ Over 10 and upto 15
‘Short’ Over 5 and upto 10
‘Bit’ Upto and including 5
Brown Fibre
Brown fibre is mechanically extracted from the dry husks of matured and ripe coconut after soaking these husks in water. The fibre shall be free from moisture and impurities.

Length of fibre

The mechanically extracted coir fibre shall be grouped based on the length

Group Length (mm)

Long fibres Above 200
Medium fibers Above 150 and upto 200
Short fibres Above 50 and upto 150

Percent by mass of ‘Long’, ‘Medium’ and ‘Short’ fibres
and impurities in bristle coir fibre
Grade Long fibres Min. Medium Fibres Max. Short Fibres Max. Impurities Max.
Bristle fibre 50 30 20 4
Grade I
Grade II 40 25 35 5
Percent by mass of ‘Long’, ‘Medium’ and ‘Short’ fibres
and impurities in Mattress coir fibre
Mattress fibre Long/Medium Fibres Min. Short Fibres Impurities Max.
110 90 20
Percent by mass of ‘Long’, ‘Medium’ and ‘Short’ fibres
and impurities in Decorticated coir fibre
Grade Long fibres Min. Medium Fibres Max. Short Fibres Max. Impurities Max.
Grade I 20 30 50 7
Grade II 20 25 55 12
The different varieties of coir yarn
1.Anjengo A
Wheel spun yarn, spun from long or medium stapled, natural bright golden coloured, well cleaned coir fibres extracted from properly retted husks containing little or no pith, husk, sand, etc. appreciably very less hairy, hard twisted both the single strand and the two plies of yarn; mostly evenly spun and uniformly twisted, smooth textured in appearance.The runnage ranges from 200 to 360 & above.

2.Anjengo M
Wheel spun yarn; from long or medium stapled, natural bright golden coloured, well-cleaned coir fibres extracted from retted husks; containing little or no pith or husk and varying percentages of sand; some what hairy; hard twisted-both the single ply and the two plies of yarn are more hard twisted than Anjengo A yarn. Thus Anjengo M being the most hard twisted of all the varieties falling under hard twisted yarns;

The runnage ranges from 140 to 190.

3.Aratory
Wheel spun yarn; spun from long or medium stapled coir fibres extracted from retted husks and of colours ranging from slight reddish brown to bluish grey; containing very small amounts of pith, husk and also sand, appreciably hairy, fibres not teased properly; slightly dirtier in appearance than Anjengo A and Anjengo M;

The runnage ranges from 200 to 260 & above.
4.Imitation Alapat / Ashtamudi / Caruva
Wheel spun yarn; spun usually thicker than Anjengo A, Anjengo M; Aratory or Real Alapat; from less cleaned coir fibres extracted from retted husks; brownish to grayish in colour, containing a small amount of sand, husk and short fibres; hairy and less clean in appearance compared to Anjengo A or Anjengo M.

The runnage ranges from 90 to 140 up.

5.Real Alapat
Failing under the class of soft twisted yarns, Real Alapat is spun both by wheel and hand from coir fibres, extracted from retted husk; and of shades ranging from bright golden colour to bright brown or grey. The hand spun yarn is softer to touch and more uniform in twist; containing little or no pith; smooth textured and not hairy; soft twisted-both the single strand and the two plies are soft twisted.

The runnage ranges from 170 to 230 up.
6.Vycome (Weaving)
Yarn spun both by hand and wheel, mostly the latter, from bright coloured, fairly well cleaned coir fibres extracted from retted husks characterised by the very soft textured appearance; containing small amounts of pith, husk and sand but no dirt; somewhat hairy soft and light in appearance; fairly even in thickness and twist ; fibres are not teased so well as in Anjengo A and so lumps of entangled fibres are found frequently in strands of yarn.

The runnage ranges from 200 to 300 & above.

7.Beach
Hand spun yarn; spun from inferior types of coir fibres extracted from undersoaked or inadequately retted husks; the fibres are insufficiently cleaned and of very reddish brown in colour; containing a very large amount of pith but not sand; the fibres being in an unopened state lie adhering to each other in the yarn with a lot of pith; little or no hairiness; very soft twisted with the single strand practically lying untwisted.

The runnage ranges from 240 to 260.

8.Roping
Hand spun yarn; spun from coir fibers which are less cleaned and extracted from inadequately retted husks; containing varying amounts of pith; characterised by its extraordinary thickness; unclean in appearance; very less hairy.
The runnage ranges from 50 to 60 & above.
9. a) Beypore
Hand spun yarn; spun from coir fibres extracted from insufficiently retted husks; of bluish brown colour comparable in thickness to thinner types of roping; containing small amounts of pith and husk; less dirty than the other types of inferior varieties of yarns.

b) Beypore – Z
Hand spun yarn; spun from coir fibres extracted from insufficiently retted husks; of bluish brown colour; comparable in thickness to thinner types of roping; containing small amounts of pith and husk, less dirty than the other types of interior varieties of yarns.
The runnage ranges from 70 to 90
10.Quailandy
Hand spun yarn; spun from fairly well cleaned coir fibres extracted from retted husk, natural bright golden to greyish in colour; similar in appearance and texture to Ashtamudy; fibres being insufficiently opened lie adhering to each other in the yarn.

Coir Mats

Popular and Stock Sizes of Coir Mats

No. Size
inch mm
1 24 x 14 600 x 350
2 27 x 16 700 x 400
3 30 x 18 750 x 450
4 33 x 20 850 x 500
5 36 x 22 900 x 550
6 39 x 24 1000 x 600
7 42 x 26 1050 x 650
8 45 x 28 1150 x 700
9 48 x 30 1200 x 750
Rod mats
Rod mats are called brush mats as they have a brush pile of varying thickness. The mats are available in plain natural colour of the raw material and also with fancy designs printed on the mat by stenciling. There are also qualities under this head in which the designs are produced by insertion of tufts of coloured fibre in the course of weaving process to suit the theme of the design.
Rod and Rod inlaid mats
Designation Type of Warp Yarn Type of Weft Yarn Type of Pile Yarn Construction Chains/Ends per dm Picks per dm Pile height
mm
Mass
gms/Sq.m
BR1 Beach
or
Vycome
Beach Beach 2X2 9 9 25 4200
BR2 do do do 2×2 9 11 28 4800
BR7 do do do 3×1 10 11 28 5400
VR1 Vycome Vycome Vycome 3×1 10 12 32 7200
VR2 do do do 4×2 10 9 32 7200
VR3 do do do 4×1 10 10 32 7200
Fibre mats
Fibre mats are manufactured by insertion of tufts of coir fibre in the base fabric in the course of the weaving process unlike the brush mats. The pile structure is obtained by cutting coir yarn, wound on a grooved rod inserted suitably between the warp chains. Fibre mats have a very compact brush firmly held by the base fabric and therefore these mats are very much durable. The mats are manufactured in plain natural colour of the raw material and also with fancy patterns obtained by insertion of coloured fibre in the course of weaving process.
Designation Slack
Chain
Tight Chain Weft Pile Construction ends per dm Pics per dm pile height
mm
Mass
gm/
Sq.m.
FM 2 Vycome/
Alapat/
Anjengo
Vycome/
Alapat/
Anjengo
Vycome Retted
fibre
Gr I or II
Inserted
fibre
12 12 28 7200
FM 3 do do do do do 14 14 32 8400
Creel mats
Creel mats are specially noted for their low pile height. The yarn for the pile structure is released from the beam in the course of the weaving process. The pile structure is obtained by suitable positioning of the coir yarn in the fabric structure with the use of grooved rods and cutting the yarn passing over the rods with a sharp knife. These are available in solid shades, stripes, mottled, stenciled and also tile patterns. 2-chain mats and 3- chain mats are available in this category. 3-chain mats have a firmer structure than 2-chain mats. Special type of mats with jute twine sold under the name of carnatic mats.
Designation Slack
chain
Tight
chain
Weft Pile Construction Ends
per dm
Picks
per dm
Pile
height mm
Mass
g/m2
BC1 - Beach/
Vycome/
Alapat
Beach Beach Warp cut
pile
9 24 22 4800
BC2 - -do- -do- -do- -do- 9 24 25 5400
BC3 - -do- -do- -do- -do- 9 25 28 6000
VC1 - Vycome/
Alapat
Vycome Vycome -do- 9 25 22 5400
VC2 - -do- -do- -do- -do- 9 25 25 6000
VC3 - Vycome -do- -do- -do- 9 25 28 6600
VC8 2 or 3
ply Jute
3 or
4 ply Jute
3 ply jute -do- -do- 17 52 13 4350
VC10
(spl.C-1)
2 ply
Jute
Vycome Vycome Vycome Warp cut
pile
14 40 19 4200
Power loom Creel Mats
Quality
No.
Slack
chain
Tight
chain
Weft Pile Chains/Ends
per dm
Picks
per dm
Pile
height mm
Mass
g/m2
SPC1 3 Ply Jute 2 Ply
Sisal
5 ply
jute
Vycome 9 28 18 5700
SPC2 5 ply
jute
-do- -do- -do- 9 28 18 5700
SPC3 2 ply
sisal
-do- -do- -do- 9 26 20 5700
Sinnet or chain mats
Sinnet mats are made out of coir braids on specially designed wooden boards having guide rods to fix the braids in position. Braids are made out of hard twist coir yarn with 7, 9 or 11 strands of yarn in the braid. There are single chain and double chain mats.
Sinnet Mats Specifications
Designation Type of Yarn Runnage
m/kg
No of strands
of ply
Thickness
minimum mm
Mass
g/m2
SA1 Anjengo 220 9 19 3650
SA2 do 220 9 19 4250
SR1 Aratory 220 9 19 3350
SR2 do 220 9 19 3950
Corridor mats
These are mats of special type with the pattern effect being produced by the weft stands only. The mats are available in wide range of designs, woven in the material.
Specifications of Corridor Mats
Quality Type of warp yarn Ends per dm. (Min.) Type of weft yarn Runnage
(m/kg)
Mass
( gm/sq.m.)
AC1 Rope yarn 6 Anjengo 240 4550
AC2 do 5 do 240 4250
AC3 do 5 do 220 3650
RC1 do 6 Aratory 240 4250
RC2 do 5 do 240 4000
RC3 do 5 do 220 3350
WC1 do 5 Vycome 260 4250
WC2 do 5 do 240 3650
WC3 do 5 do 220 3050
Lovers knot mats
These are mats made out of coir rope with fancy patterns, produced on boards fixed with guide rods. Mats in the natural colour of the raw materials, solids shades and also with coir rope of multicoloured strands are available in this variety.
Designation Type of Rope Type of Yarn Diameter of Rope mm Mass gm/m2
LKA Shroud laid Anjengo 14 6100
LKR Do Aratory 14 5490
P.V.C. tufted mats
Coir yarn is tufted over PVC base on automatic machine for the production of PVC tufted mats.
Coir Carpets
Coir carpets are commonly known as ‘Alleppey carpets’. These are manufactured by the same techniques as that of mourzouks, but for the difference in the thickness and number of the warp strands. The specialty of Alleppey carpet is that, these products have a ribbed effect in appearance consequent to the use of the thicker yarn in the warp strands.
Quality Types of warp yarn Approximimate scorage of arp yarn Ends per dm Type of weft yarn Approx scorage of weft yarn Picks per dm Mass kg/m2
BCBC (BCSD) Beach 7/8 6 Ashtamudy 8/9 29 3.050
BCQQ (BCSQ1) Quilandy 4 Quilandy 48 5.200
BCVR1 (BCSR1) Vycome 13/14 12 Aratory 13/14 52 2.450