Sri Lanka Coir Industry & Bio

Despite being a relatively small country, Sri Lanka produces a quarter of the worlds coconuts a year. One of the ways in which they are used is in coir production. Coir is the natural fibre produced from the coconut husk, and is used to be woven into rope, often in small family-run factories, providing the locals with a stable income, and somewhere to dispose of the waste products of the coconuts. What drew me to this particular project was the enthusiasm the locals had in creating something used worldwide out of something which would otherwise be disposed of as waste. In a time where climate change is becoming an ever-increasing threat, it was inspiring to witness this century old tradition of coir rope production.

Ana Cross

Ana Cross is a photographer based between Cornwall and London, in her third year studying Press & Editorial Photography at Falmouth University. She is interested in both long and short-term projects around the world. With a passion for human rights and social justice across different cultures, she is most interested in telling the stories of those whose voices are rarely heard whilst maintaining respect for her subject and her own integrity.