K.J. Deepthy’s first tryst with coir, known as golden fibre, at a professional level came after she moved to Vayalar, near Cherthala, in Alappuzha 19 years ago. After becoming a member of a coir society, she set up a small production unit on the premises of the family home. Traditional coir doormats made on handlooms at her unit reached far and wide. However, her fortunes started to plummet in recent years due to poor demand for traditional products.
That said, Ms. Deepthy is among the first batch of 50 people, including members of coir societies and workers, who are undergoing a three-month training programme organised under the aegis of State-owned Coir Corporation in Alappuzha. As the training draws to a close on February 6, they are now ready to move away from traditional products and make innovative and market-oriented coir products. “We have been given training to manufacture in-demand as well as new products. We are hoping for a revival of fortunes once we start making mats such as LKR Natural and LKR Fancy,” says Ms. Deepthy.
