Abstract: A method of softening coconut shell material, includes submerging the coconut shell material in water to produce clean crumb material, boiling the clean crumb material in a salt solution to produce boiled crumb material, steaming the boiled crumb material to produce steamed crumb material, first soaking the steamed crumb material in a solution of water and an alkali material to produce soaked crumb material, second soaking the soaked crumb material in a salt solution to produce second soaked crumb material, rinsing the second soaked crumb material with a stable alkaline solution to product softened wet crumb material, and storing the softened wet crumb material.

Abstract: A method of processing coir, comprising using counter-rotating blades to shred compressed coir into dry, shredded coir.