Snapshot

Why Alleppey is iconic:
Alleppey (Alappuzha) in Kerala is globally recognized as the “Venice of the East” and the world’s coir capital, housing India’s oldest and largest coir industry. Coir fiber is extracted from coconut husk, spun into yarn, and crafted into mats, rugs, ropes, and eco-friendly geo-textiles used in erosion control and landscaping. The cluster is the headquarters of the Coir Board of India (est. 1953), which has transformed the sector into a sustainable export powerhouse.

Alleppey has 1,000+ coir units, many operated as cooperatives and women-led enterprises, making it a key livelihood driver. The region exports high-value coir products to over 100 countries.

Scale:

• India exports $450M+ worth of coir products annually (2023); Kerala contributes ~80%.
  
• Alleppey is the largest coir geo-textile exporter in the world.
  
• Industry employs over 350,000 workers, mostly women.
  

Product Range

Category	Key Products
Coir Mats & Rugs	Handwoven mats, floor coverings, carpets, door mats
Geo-Textiles	Coir mats, meshes, woven geo-nets for soil erosion control
Coir Ropes & Yarn	Spun coir ropes, decorative cords, industrial yarn
Coir Pith & Grow Bags	Horticulture blocks, hydroponic grow bags
Brushes & Household Products	Coir brushes, mats, scrubbers
Eco-Friendly Packaging	Coir-based biodegradable packaging solutions
Custom Projects	Landscaping products, geo-engineering mats, coir composites

Cluster Strengths

Feature	Details
World’s Coir Capital	Alleppey is the HQ of Coir Board of India
Sustainable & Eco-Friendly	100% biodegradable, natural fiber-based products
Strong Export Ecosystem	1,000+ exporters, 2 Coir Board showrooms, Coir Kerala brand
Women-Centric Industry	80%+ workforce are women artisans
R&D and Innovation	Central Coir Research Institute (CCRI) in Kalavoor
Global Leadership in Geo-Textiles	Preferred for soil stabilization, slope protection, road works worldwide

Materials & Sustainability

Key Inputs:

• Coconut husk as the primary raw material (abundant in Kerala).
  
• Hand-spun and mechanized coir yarns.
  
• Natural vegetable dyes for mats and rugs.
  

Sustainability Edge:

• Fully biodegradable, eco-friendly, and renewable material.
  
• Carbon-negative industry using agricultural by-products.
  
• Coir pith upcycled as horticulture substrate for hydroponics.
  
• Coir geo-textiles replace synthetic materials in infrastructure projects, reducing plastic waste.
  

Cluster Infrastructure

• Institutions:
  
  • Coir Board of India HQ, Alleppey – Export promotion, training, R&D.
    
  • Central Coir Research Institute (CCRI) – Tech innovations, composites, geo-textiles.
    
  • Coir Kerala brand for marketing and international promotion.
    
• Industrial Areas:
  
  • Kalavoor Industrial Belt: Major coir processing and spinning units.
    
  • Chathanad and Aryad regions for artisan cooperatives.
    
• Logistics:
  
  • Kochi Port (~60 km) for exports; Trivandrum Airport (~150 km).
    
  • Rail connectivity via Alleppey station to major metros.
    

Compliance & Certifications

• ISO 9001/14001-certified production units.
  
• Coir Board Certification Scheme for authenticity and quality.
  
• BIS standards for coir pith, mats, and geo-textiles.
  
• Organic certifications (OMRI, EU Organic) for coir pith and horticulture products.
  
• ASTM/IGS standards for geo-textiles.
  
• Fairtrade-certified cooperative production units.
  

Production Timelines & MOQs

Product Type	Sampling Lead Time	Bulk Lead Time	MOQ Guidance
Handwoven Coir Mats & Rugs	1–2 weeks	4–6 weeks	500+ mats
Geo-Textile Mats (Erosion Nets)	2 weeks	4–8 weeks	1,000 sq. meters
Coir Ropes & Yarn	1 week	3–5 weeks	1 MT bulk
Coir Pith Blocks (5kg)	1 week	3–5 weeks	1 container (20 MT)
Retail/Custom Orders	2 weeks	4–6 weeks	Project-specific

Branding & Packaging

• Branding:
  
  • “Coir Kerala” brand under Coir Board for global recognition.
    
  • Artisan cooperative branding with GI-like authenticity.
    
• Packaging:
  
  • Eco-friendly packaging with recycled materials.
    
  • Palletized shipments for geo-textiles and pith blocks.
    
  • Retail packs for door mats and rugs with QR-code traceability.
    

Quality Control (IndiaUnbox Protocol)

• BIS quality checks for fiber length, strength, and density.
  
• ASTM/IGS testing for geo-textile durability and erosion resistance.
  
• Moisture, compression, and microbial checks for coir pith.
  
• Third-party inspections (SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas) for exports.
  
• Certification labeling from Coir Board of India on every shipment.
  

Price Drivers

• Seasonal availability of coconut husk.
  
• Dyeing, weaving, and handcrafting complexity for mats and rugs.
  
• Compliance (ASTM/IGS) for geo-textiles used in infrastructure.
  
• Export freight costs for bulky goods.
  
• Certifications (organic, Fairtrade) for premium horticulture buyers.
  

Buyer Confidence Signals

• Alleppey is the global hub of coir manufacturing and headquarters of the Coir Board of India.
  
• Proven supply chain for eco-friendly, sustainable products in 100+ markets.
  
• Strong R&D-driven innovation for geo-engineering applications.
  
• High traceability, cooperative-driven production ensures fair trade and ethical sourcing.
  
• Kerala coir industry is recognized by the UN for sustainable practices.