Recovering in Sri Lanka

Signs of recovery from the 2004 tsunami are starting to show in Sri Lanka, where the coir geotextile’s cottage industry is returning. Coir geotextiles are used in southeast Asia for many small-scale erosion control projects, often in rural areas. But few outside of these coir-growing regions might know how long the process of conversion can be. It can take months of treatment for the natural fibers to be ready for use. The Sunday Times follows the story of this tiny industry’s return.