Tools and Raw Materials

Design Resource

Coir Craft - Raghurajpur, Orissa

Eco-friendly Toys

Prof. Bibhudutta Baral, Divyadarshan C. S. and Aakash Sharma

Tools and Raw Materials

Simple hand operated tools are used for making coir toys. Two sizes of scissors are used for different purposes, these toys are made by many family members which may not talk long for one to understand the process of mining and joining hands to help one another. Raw material required for making coir toys and other coir products are very few and basic. Coir is traditionally processed from coconut husks cured in saline or freshwater for eight to ten months by process called “Retting” for increasing the flexibility, strength and durability of fiber.

Following are the tools and raw materials used for the process of coir craft:

• Small Scissors: They are used for cutting thread and other small things.

• Big Scissors: They are used for cutting the coir fiber.

• Pliers: It is used while stitching, it is used for plucking out the needle from the coir toy.

• Needle: It is used for stitching. The size of the needle depends on the type of work.

• Measuring Tape: It is used for measurements.

• Cello Tape - (adhesive tape): Workers use cello tape to wrap it on their fingers to prevent from being cut by the stiff coir or by thread while tying the toys.

• Tamarind Seeds: It is used as glue after it’s been heated with water.

• Ground White Stone: Natural white stone powder which is sued with glue.

• Cotton Thread: It is used to tie and shape the craft.

• Sewing Thread: It is used to tie jute on together.

• Coconut Husks: Extract of coconut which is used as a raw material.

• Cardboard: It is used to stuff inside the object.

• Bamboo Sticks: It is used for stiffness as an armature.