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The history explains different stories on the birth of the golden
fibre. Ropes and cordage, made out of coconut fibre have been in
use from ancient times. Indian navigators, who sailed the seas to
Malaya, Java, China and to the Gulf of Arabia centuries ago, had
been using coir as their ship's cables. Arab writers of the 11th
century AD referred to the extensive use of coir as ship's cables,
fenders and for rigging
Facts record that there was coir industry in U.K. before the 2nd
half of the 19th century. During the year 1840, Captain Widely, in
co-operation with Captain Logan and Mr. Thomas Treloar founded the
well-known carpet firms of Treloar and Sons in Ludgate Hill,
England for the manufacture of coir into various fabrics suitable
for floor coverings.
The coir manufacturing industry producing coir mats, mattings and
other floor coverings, was started in India on a factory basis,
over a hundred years ago when the first factory was set up in
Alleppey in 1859 by the Late Mr. James Darragh, an adventurous
Irish born American national. Enterprising Indians followed the
trail blazed by this foreigner.
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