Coir Industry
Coir maufacturing is one of the important cottage industries in paravur. Around 5000 workers were on various fileds relating this industry such as mostly spinning , weaving etc. Now also the industry provides work to around 1500 people mostly women working as part-time.Processing
Brown Fibres:- The fibrous husks are soaked in pits or in nets in a slow moving body of water to swell and soften the fibres. The long bristle fibres are separated from the shorter mattress fibres underneath the skin of the nut, a process known as wet-milling. The mattress fibres are sifted to remove dirt and other rubbish, dried in the sun and packed into bales. Some mattress fibre is allowed to retain more moisture so that it retains its elasticity for 'twisted' fibre production. The coir fibre is elastic enough to twist without breaking and it holds a curl as though permanently waved. Twisting is done by simply making a rope of the hank of fibre and twisting it using a machine or by hand. The longer bristle fibre is washed in clean water and then dried before being tied into bundles or hunks. It may then be cleaned and 'hackled' by steel combs to straighten the fibres and remove any shorter fibre pieces. Coir bristle fibre can also be bleached and dyed to obtain hanks of different colours.White Fibre :-The immature husks are suspended in a river or water-filled pit for up to ten months. During this time micro-organisms break down the plant tissues surrounding the fibres to loosen them - a process known as retting. Segments of the husk are then beaten by hand to separate out the long fibres which are subsequently dried and cleaned. Cleaned fibre is ready for spinning into yarn using a simple one-handed system or a spinning wheel.
Coir fibres make up about 1/3 of the of coconut pulp. The other 2/3 is called the pith or dust, it is biodegradable but takes 20 years to decompose. Once considered useless it is now being used as much in soil treatment and as a hydroponic growth medium.
Paravur was the main market of coir after kollam in olden days. Floorco the asia's largest mechanised coir factory was started here. From here the products were exported to more than 60 foriegn countries.The products include yarn, mats, carpets and rugs.Handweaving Industry
In paravur the weaving industry was very much established during the 1940's.So many houses in paravur were engaged in this industry by having a 'kuzhithari' on their own houses for making traditional clothes.
Vinayakar Co-operative Society
The weaving factory was at first commenced by Krishnadas and Gopaldas in 1943 and was named Thripty Textiles .This was the first weaving factory of Travancore. It was called 'Noolaphees' by the local people.Paravur Vinayakar Co-opertive Society was registered on 1958 May 4th. On 1959 January 17th Chief minister of kerala Sri EMS Namboothirippadu inaugurated the company. The products of the society had good demand in indian and foreign markets.
Traditional Fishing
Fishing is also a major source of income in coastal areas of paravur. Chillackal is the main hub of it. The main earning of thousands of people here is fishing. The fishermen communities are spread along the beautiful beaches of paravur. Early morning the sea shore becomes busy with fishermen who operate in the inshore waters with the log kattumarams.