Alleppey Coir - The Geographical Indication

M. Kumaraswamy Pillai Regional Officer Coir Board, Kannur The presentation on “Alleppey Coir” is dedicated to the memory of

Mr. James Darragh And Mr. Henry Smail

MR. JAMES DARRAGH AND MR. HENRY SMAIL JOINTLY ESTABLISHED THE FIRST COIR FACTORY AT ALLEPPEY IN THE YEAR 1859 ….the AlleppeyAlleppey city

Founded by His Highness RajaRaja KesavaKesava DasaDasa,, Diwan of erstwhile Travancore during second half of 17th century. ….the Alleppey city

planned city between Vembanad lake and Arabian Sea.

Thiruvananthapuram city

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ALAPPUZHAALAPPUZHA CITYCITY ….the Alleppey city

two parallel canals connecting the lake and sea. ….the Alleppey city

two parallel canals connecting the lake and sea. ….the Alleppey city

was the major port in South India after Madras. ….the Alleppey city ….the Alleppey city merchandise like Copra, Pepper, Ginger, Coir etc. was handled by the Port. ….the Alleppey city

known as “Venice of the East”.

Venice ….the Alleppey city inhabited by settlers from different parts of the country like Gujarat, Rajasthan,Maharashtra, Madras province etc. ….the Alleppey city

•district has an area of 1414 sq. kmtrs having a population of 21 lakhs with 51.9% female population.

•apart from Malayalam the languages spoken are English, Tamil, Hindi, Gujarati etc. ….. the “Alleppey Coir”

The first Coir factory “Darragh Smail & Co.” for the manufacture of Coir floor furnishings was established by Mr. James Darragh (an Irish born American) together with Henry Smail at Alleppey during the year 1859. ….. the “Alleppey Coir”

Followed to this, nearly 25 major coir factories were set up in the Alleppey town like William Goodacre & Sons ….. the “Alleppey Coir” Aspinwall & Co. ….. the “Alleppey Coir” VolkartVolkart Brothers Brothers ….. the “Alleppey Coir” BombayBombay Co.Co. ….. the “Alleppey Coir” MaduraMadura Co. Co. ….….COIRCOIR INDUSTRYINDUSTRY ININ THETHE PRE-INDEPENDENCEPRE-INDEPENDENCE ERAERA

largelarge ScaleScale unitsunits employingemploying thousandsthousands ofof workers.workers. productionproduction ofof entireentire coircoir productsproducts toto meetmeet thethe exportexport commitmentscommitments inin ownown factories.factories. eacheach unitunit waswas havinghaving itsits ownown qualityquality standardsstandards .. separateseparate wagewage structure.structure. ….….COIRCOIR INDUSTRYINDUSTRY ININ THETHE PRE-INDEPENDENCEPRE-INDEPENDENCE ERAERA

•demands•demands fromfrom workersworkers forfor standardisationstandardisation (unification) (unification) ofof wageswages •emergence•emergence ofof firstfirst tradetrade unionunion inin thethe erstwhileerstwhile TravancoreTravancore StateState underunder namename andand stylestyle “Trava“Travancorencore Coir Coir FactoryFactory WorkersWorkers UnionUnion (AITUC)’(AITUC)’ registered registered inin 1938.1938. •Shri.•Shri. R.R. SugathanSugathan first first GeneralGeneral SecretarySecretary

•S/s.•S/s. T.V.T.V. Thomas,Thomas, VadappuramVadappuram Bava, Bava, K.K.K.K. Kunjan,Kunjan, M.T.M.T. ChandrasenanChandrasenan etc etc werewere leadersleaders ofof thethe Union.Union. UnionUnion startedstarted separateseparate agitatioagitationsns inin manymany coircoir unitsunits forfor thethe legitimatelegitimate rightsrights ofof thethe coircoir workers.workers.

SocialSocial backgroundbackground alsoalso playedplayed itsits role-role- agitations agitations againstagainst thethe thenthen DiwanDiwan Sir. Sir. C.P.C.P. RaRamaswamymaswamy Iyer Iyer culminated culminated inin thethe PolicePolice firingsfirings atat PUNNAPRAPUNNAPRA –– VAYALAR VAYALAR inin OctoberOctober 1946.1946.

In terms of its role in changing the course of the political destiny of Kerala, Punnapra-Vayalar is the biggest struggle of its kind.

Unofficial estimates put the number of casualties on both sides in Punnapra and Vayalar at around a thousand. ……..COIR……..COIR INDUSTRYINDUSTRY ININ THETHE PRE-INDEPENDENCEPRE-INDEPENDENCE ERAERA

•coir•coir factoryfactory workersworkers werewere inin thethe foreforefrontfront inin thethe agitationsagitations againstagainst thethe

DiwanDiwan of of TravancoreTravancore and and alsoalso inin thethe freedomfreedom movementmovement ofof thethe Nation.Nation. COIRCOIR INDUSTRYINDUSTRY ININ THETHE POSTPOST INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE ERAERA

•the•the EuropeansEuropeans startedstarted migratingmigrating toto theirtheir homehome landslands byby leavingleaving thethe CoirCoir unitsunits toto thethe IndianIndian counterparts.counterparts.

•the•the IndianIndian entrepreneursentrepreneurs retrenchedretrenched thethe workersworkers engagedengaged byby thethe EuropeansEuropeans byby payingpaying thethe legitimatelegitimate reretrenchmenttrenchment benefitsbenefits inin thethe formform ofof Looms/equipments.Looms/equipments.

•a•a fewfew ofof thethe workersworkers ofof thethe EuropeanEuropean firmsfirms formedformed coircoir matsmats andand mattingsmattings manufacturingmanufacturing co-operativeco-operative societiessocieties inin thethe AlleppeyAlleppey cluster.cluster.

•majority•majority ofof thethe workersworkers tooktook thethe loomslooms andand equipmentsequipments toto theirtheir householdshouseholds inin thethe suburbssuburbs ofof Alleppey/CherthalaAlleppey/Cherthala a andnd establishedestablished unitsunits adjoiningadjoining toto theirtheir households.households. slowlyslowly thethe coircoir industryindustry becamebecame aa totallytotally decentraliseddecentralised industry. industry.

BIGBIG UNITSUNITS

MatsMats && MattingMatting Co-op.Co-op. SocietiesSocieties SmallSmall ScaleScale UnitsUnits (Around(Around 6060 nos.)nos.) (Around(Around 10,00010,000 nos.)nos.) …….COIR…….COIR INDUSTRYINDUSTRY ININ THETHE

POSTPOST INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE ERAERA

•as•as ofof nownow therethere areare aroundaround

250250 exportersexporters andand 10,00010,000 smallsmall scalescale manufacturersmanufacturers cateringcatering toto thethe requirementsrequirements ofof thesethese exporters.exporters. the small scale units…. the coir worker… the small scale units…. ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY DISTRICTDISTRICT –– A A PROFILEPROFILE

•Area•Area - - 1414 1414 sq.sq. km.km. •Population•Population •(as•(as perper 20012001 census)census) - - 21,05,349 21,05,349 •Male•Male - - 10,12,572 10,12,572 (48.1%)(48.1%) •Female•Female - - 10,92,777 10,92,777 (51.9%)(51.9%) ••DensityDensity - - 1,496 1,496

••LiteratesLiterates - - 17,68,261 17,68,261 (94%)(94%) ••TaluksTaluks - - 6 6 (Ambalapuzha,(Ambalapuzha, Cherthala,Cherthala, Kuttanad,Kuttanad, Karthikappalli,Karthikappalli, Mavelikkara,Mavelikkara, Chengannur)Chengannur) ••BlocksBlocks - - 12 12 ••MuncipalMuncipal towns towns - - 14 14 ••VillagesVillages - - 91 91 ••LanguagesLanguages spokenspoken - - Malayalam,Malayalam, English,English, Hindi,Hindi, Tamil,Tamil, TeluguTelugu andand GujaratiGujarati the modern alleppey….. the modern alleppey….. the modern alleppey….. the modern alleppey….. the modern alleppey….. the modern alleppey….. ““ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR””-- thethe G.I.G.I.

PRODUCTSPRODUCTS COVEREDCOVERED Creel Mat Rod Mat Sinnet mat Rope Mat (Lovers’ knot) Two shaft mattings Coir Geotextiles

A matting of two-treadle weave in construction with the difference that the warp and weft strands are positioned at a distance to get mesh effect. Coir Mourzouks Cricket mattings

A matting specially made for use in Cricket Pitches, generally twill or herringbone pattern, three treadle or four treadle weave and in single shade. Coir Fender

Coir fender is commonly made in spherical or cylinderical shape. The inner material for the Fender is made in the required shape from coir yarn, rope or fibre tied together tightly. Coir rope is then knotted to form the outer shell by applying suitable knotting technique. ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

COIRCOIR YARNYARN (country(country bundles)bundles) ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

SORTINGSORTING ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

DYEINGDYEING // BLEACHINGBLEACHING ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

DYEINGDYEING // BLEACHINGBLEACHING ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

WINDINGWINDING ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

QUILLINGQUILLING ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

WARPINGWARPING && BEAMINGBEAMING ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

WEAVINGWEAVING ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

FINISHINGFINISHING OPERATIONSOPERATIONS ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

DryingDrying ALLEPPEYALLEPPEY COIRCOIR -- METHOD METHOD OFOF PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION

BUNDLINGBUNDLING UNIQUENESSUNIQUENESS

•Skill•Skill andand CraftsmanshipCraftsmanship •Heavy•Heavy structuredstructured woodenwooden loomslooms •Designs•Designs •Raw•Raw materialmaterial –– retted retted fibrefibre •Natural•Natural fibrefibre product product •Environment•Environment friendlyfriendly •Wide•Wide rangerange ofof moremore thanthan 2020 varietiesvarieties ofof productsproducts manufacturedmanufactured outout ofof 4’’4’’ to to 8”8” long long fibres.fibres. ••ConfinedConfined toto AmbalapuzhaAmbalapuzha & & CherthalaCherthala taluks taluks of of AlleppeyAlleppey clustercluster overover centuriescenturies sustainingsustaining lakhslakhs ofof workers.workers. SPECIALSPECIAL CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS

•Household•Household unitsunits

•Entire•Entire familyfamily membersmembers areare involvedinvolved

•Highly•Highly labourlabour intensive intensive inin ruralrural villages.villages.

•Women•Women oriented.oriented.

•Wealth•Wealth fromfrom wastewaste –– Coconut Coconut huskshusks

•Highly•Highly exportexport orientedoriented (85%(85% ofof thethe totaltotal exportexport ofof coircoir fromfrom cluster)cluster)

•Eco-mark•Eco-mark proposalproposal isis underunder considerationconsideration ofof Ministry.Ministry.

•Highly•Highly decentralised.decentralised. RECOGNITIONSRECOGNITIONS

•Alleppey•Alleppey declareddeclared asas TownTown ofof ExpoExportrt ExcellenceExcellence forfor CoirCoir byby MinistryMinistry ofof CommerceCommerce AndAnd IndustryIndustry

•Alleppey•Alleppey hashas twintwin recognitionrecognition asas TownTown ofof ExcellenceExcellence forfor MarineMarine productsproducts && Coir.Coir.

•Alleppey•Alleppey waswas selectedselected asas clusteclusterr forfor interventionintervention underunder thethe UNDPUNDP sponsoredsponsored ProjectProject onon “Technology“Technology TrTransfer,ansfer, ModernisationModernisation and and CapacityCapacity BuildingBuilding inin thethe IndianIndian CoCoirir SectorSector (No.IND/98/831)(No.IND/98/831)

•Another•Another clustercluster developmentdevelopment projecprojectt waswas implementedimplemented inin AlleppeyAlleppey byby thethe SBISBI UptechUptech in in associationassociation withwith UNIDOUNIDO forfor CapacityCapacity buildingbuilding inin thethe coircoir Sector.Sector.

•Cluster•Cluster basedbased reorganisationreorganisation of of coircoir weavingweaving industryindustry throughthrough Kanjikuzhi-Kanjikuzhi- Muhamma Muhamma Coir Coir CommonCommon FacilityFacility CentreCentre underunder SwarnaSwarna JayanthiJayanthi Gram Gram SworozgarSworozgar Yojana. Yojana. INSPECTION OF GI

•Through Coir Mark Scheme Inspectorate.

•By the exporters at the time of landing.

•Through the Quality Supervisors under the In plant

Inspection Scheme. QualityQuality standardsstandards ofof ‘Alleppey‘Alleppey Coir’Coir’

CoirCoir productsproducts coveredcovered underunder AlleppeyAlleppey coircoir havehave thethe followingfollowing IndianIndian ststandardsandards publishedpublished byby thethe BIS:BIS:

•IS:11420•IS:11420 (parts(parts 11 toto 99 –– 1985): 1985): SpecificationSpecification forfor CoirCoir matsmats

•IS:12503•IS:12503 (parts(parts tt toto 66 –– 1988): 1988): Indian Indian standardstandard ––

CoirCoir mattings,mattings, mourzouksmourzouks and and carpetscarpets ReferencesReferences

1)1) The The TravancoreTravancore Manual Manual 2)2) The The ReportReport ofof thrthr Board Board ofof conciliconciliationation ofof tradetrade disputesdisputes publishedpublished byby thethe Govt.Govt. ofof TravancoreTravancore (1939) (1939) 3)3) CoffeeCoffee tabletable bookbook publispublishedhed byby CoirCoir BoardBoard (2005)(2005) 4)4) DepartmentDepartment ofof SurveySurvey andand landland records,records, Govt.Govt. ofof Kerala.(Map)Kerala.(Map) 5)5) CoirCoir IndustryIndustry inin IndiaIndia withwith specspecialial referencereference toto MarketingMarketing authoredauthored byby Dr.Dr. K.B.Unnithan.K.B.Unnithan. 6)6) BookBook onon CoirCoir YarnYarn authorauthoreded byby Shri.Shri. K.MohammedK.Mohammed Kunju.Kunju. 7)7) ConstructionalConstructional detailsdetails ofof CoirCoir && CoirCoir ProductsProducts publishedpublished byby CoirCoir Board.Board. 8)8) VariousVarious recordsrecords maintainedmaintained byby thethe CoirCoir exportersexporters associations,associations, tradetrade unionsunions andand CoirCoir Board.Board. OtherOther GI’sGI’s inin coircoir proposedproposed toto bebe registeredregistered underunder thethe GIGI act.act.

AnjengoAnjengo Coir Coir

MangadanMangadan Coir Coir

AratoryAratory Coir Coir

VycomeVycome Coir Coir

BeyporeBeypore Coir Coir

QuilandyQuilandy Coir, Coir, etc.etc. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks are due to

•Shri. A.C. Jose, Ex. M.P., Chairman, Coir Board for his guidance, encouragements and support.

•Shri. M. Kumara Raja, Secretary, Coir Board for his keen interest

•Dr.U.S.Sarma, Director, R D T E, CCRI for his support and guidance

•Shri. K.C. Eapen, Secretary, Coir Shippers Council for sharing his experience in the coir industry. •• ShriShri.. KalleliKalleliRaghavan RaghavanPillai, Pillai, forfor sharingsharing hishis experienceexperience onon thethe historyhistory ofof AlleppeyAlleppey town.town.

••TheThe tradetrade associationsassociations inin thethe coircoir industryindustry forfor theirtheir coco-- operation.operation.

••TheThe Secretary,Secretary, KeralaKeralaCoir Coir MatsMats && MattingsMattingsCo Co-op.-op. SocietySociety andand thethe numerousnumerous smallsmall scalescale ununitsits forfor permittingpermitting toto taketake photographsphotographs inin theirtheir units.units.

••TheThe membersmembers ofof thethe officialofficial teamteam constitutedconstituted byby thethe

ChairmanChairman forfor preparationpreparation ofof thethe documentdocument.. && thethe foundersfounders ofof CoirCoir IndustryIndustry inin IndiaIndia

The logo of Alleppey Coir THANK YOU