The coconut: from fiber to shade

2 September: World Coconut Day

De la noix de coco à votre coin d'ombre

On 2 September, to mark World Coconut Day, we chose to celebrate much more than just a fruit. Because behind our coco shade sails lies a natural material, landscapes, time-honoured traditions and, above all, the men and women who help to make them every day.

Coconut fibre lies at the heart of our story. It is what gives our coconut canopies their distinctive character and enables us to create natural, breathable and sustainable shade.

To understand a coconut canopy, we must therefore go back to its source: Kerala, in southern India, where coconuts grow and where this fibre has been worked for generations.

Through the images we’ve brought back from our trips to Kerala and those taken in our workshops in France, we’ll take you on a journey to discover this material that defines our products.

Every fibre has a story. Here is ours.

 

From the coconut palm to coconut fibre: where it all begins


De la noix de coco à la fibre de coco

In Kerala, the coconut palm is a familiar sight. It lines the roads, villages, gardens and farms. The coconut is a resource deeply rooted in local life.

Once the coconut has been used, its fibrous husk – regarded as agricultural waste – is processed and put to good use. It is from this husk, known as the mesocarp or coir, that the coconut fibre used to make our fabrics is derived. Nothing is wasted; everything is put to good use.

This process requires time and expertise. The fibres are extracted, prepared and then spun to produce the coconut yarn used to weave the fabric.

What particularly interests us about this process is the ability to give a second life to part of the coconut. The material that might otherwise have been regarded as mere waste thus becomes a resource.

But behind this natural material, there are, above all, people. And this is precisely where another dimension of our story begins: that of our relationships with our partners.

 

In Kerala, partners rather than mere suppliers


Au Kerala, des partenaires plutôt que de simples fournisseurs

When we talk about our partners, the choice of words is important.

We do not wish to reduce our relationship to a mere order placed. We work with people who know their trade, their materials and their tools, and whose expertise is essential to the quality of our coconut fibre shade structures.

Our relationship is based on a simple idea: working in very close collaboration and moving forward together.

This means listening, exchanging ideas and seeking the best solutions together, each bringing their own expertise, know-how and values to the table.

This trust has been built up over years of mutual exchange. It has been nurtured by meetings, visits, discussions and shared projects. Travelling to Kerala allows us to see first-hand the places where our materials are sourced, to meet the people who work with them and to gain a better understanding of their daily lives.

These exchanges put a face to what might otherwise remain abstract.

 

A natural material that is being turned into a shade structure in France


La fibre de coco : une matière naturelle qui devient une ombrière en France

Once woven in Kerala, the material continues its journey to France.

In our workshops, the coconut fibre is then transformed into a fabric designed to provide shade in gardens, on terraces, in restaurants, hotels and communal spaces.

Each coco shade sail is the result of several stages and a range of complementary skills.

This is also what we love about this material: it retains its natural appearance, texture and unique characteristics.

Our coconut fibre shade structures thus carry a story that begins long before they are installed in your garden.

There is the coconut palm, the coconut, the fibres extracted in Kerala, the preparation work, the expertise of our partners, and then that of our teams in France.

There is a sense of continuity running through these different stages: that of a natural material transformed with care.

 

A story built on trust and passing on knowledge

Mrs. Sajinthu à la qualité

When it comes to a product, people often talk about manufacturing. We prefer to talk about relationships.

Because high-quality materials alone are not enough. To build a project that stands the test of time, we need to be able to rely on one another.

Our interactions with our partners are based on this mutual trust. We move forward together, embracing our differences in culture, professions and practices, yet united by a common goal: to do things properly and ensure our collaboration stands the test of time.

This relationship also enables us to progress. The questions we ask, the feedback we share and the developments in our products are the result of dialogue.

It is this human dimension that we wish to highlight when we share images of Kerala.

Because behind every coconut-fibre shade, there is more than just a natural material. There is a chain of craftsmanship and people who contribute, each in their own way, to its story.

Photo: Mrs Sajinthu making a loop

 

From the coconut to your shady spot


Une matière naturelle qui devient une ombrière en France

The journey begins with a coconut in Kerala and continues all the way to your terrace, your restaurant or your garden. In between, there are processed fibres, skilled craftsmanship and, above all, human connections.

This is what we wish to celebrate on this World Coconut Day: a material that connects us to a region, to a craft, and to partners with whom we have chosen to build a relationship based on trust and respect.

So when you choose a coconut shade sail, you’re choosing much more than just a way to create shade. You’re choosing a natural material, a story and a craft that transcend borders.

From the coconut to your spot in the shade, every fibre tells a little of our story.

 

Les Ombrières de Provence – craftspeople specialising in natural shade, from Provence to Kerala.

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