§1What this business is
Clean, dry coir fibre is hackled and hand-fed into curling machines that twist it into a thick, evenly curled rope wound into rolls. The rolls are stored for 2 months in a dry, cool place so the curl sets, giving a springy effect. Curled coir is used in coir mattresses, sofas, and car and train seats.
Capacity: 0.28 ton a shift on each of 2 curling machines, 2 shifts — 330 tons a year; 5% yield loss. Sale ₹25,000 and fibre ₹16,000 a ton.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone near coir fibre supply with links to mattress makers.
Who it is not for
Someone without dry storage or a mattress-industry buyer.
Advantages
- Steady demand from rubberised coir mattress makers
- Simple machines
- Good fall in break-even as capacity rises
Drawbacks
- 2-month curing ties up stock and cash
- Needs a lot of dry storage space
- Few large buyers set the price
Skills you need
- Curling machine operation
- Fibre grading
- Storage and curing control
- Selling to mattress makers
Why difficulty 3/5: Proven process; the 2-month curing stock and few buyers need planning.
§3Market
Who buys
- Rubberised coir mattress makers
- Sofa and furniture makers
- Automobile and railway seat makers
How it sells
- Direct supply contracts
- Coir traders
Good to know
- The profile names coir mattresses, sofas, couches, and automobile and locomotive seats as uses.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hackling machine (single shaft), 5 HP | 1 | ₹1,00,000 |
| Curling machine, 7 HP (5 HP + 2 HP) | 2 | ₹13,00,000 |
| Winding machine, 2 HP | 1 | ₹50,000 |
| Electrical fitting and panel board | — | ₹52,000 |
From: PMEGP project profile — Curled Coir Production Unit (prepared by Coir Board, Ministry of MSME) (2018)
- Decorticated, cleaned coir fibre₹16,000 a ton; sieved to remove pith and baby fibre
From: PMEGP project profile — Curled Coir Production Unit (prepared by Coir Board, Ministry of MSME) (2018)
In our raw material database
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- Registration with the Coir Board (needed to export; also opens Coir Board schemes)
- Factory licence if 10 or more workers use power
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
PMEGP (this profile was made for it), MUDRA loans up to ₹20 lakh and CGTMSE cover fit; Stand-Up India suits women and SC/ST founders.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Coir Board profile: work shed ₹4.00 lakh + machinery ₹15.02 lakh + working capital ₹5.98 lakh = ₹25.00 lakh.
Working capital: Working capital ₹5.98 lakh (bank ₹5.68 lakh); stock is held 2 months for curing.
Prices from June 2018 — machinery costs will be higher now.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Coir Board
- Coir exporters register with the Coir Board and take its registration-cum-membership certificate.
- Confirm the exact 8-digit code in the DGFT ITC-HS schedule before you ship.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Moisture spoiling stored rolls
- Fibre price rise
- Foam mattresses replacing coir
- Fire in storage
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working curled coir rope production unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam registration, GST registration), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Curled Coir Rope Production?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
- PMEGP project profile — Curled Coir Production Unit (prepared by Coir Board, Ministry of MSME) (2018)
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.