Coir fiber moves in compressed bales. Bale format decides how much payload fits in a container, how much handling your warehouse pays for, how much fiber breaks in transit, and how exposed the goods are to moisture. This guide covers the specs to lock into a purchase order before production starts.

What Bale Packaging Changes in Your Landed Cost

Freight is charged per container, not per kilogram. A denser bale means more fiber in the same 20ft or 40ft box, so the freight cost per tonne falls. That single number often moves landed cost more than a small change in unit price. Buyers who compare only FOB price per tonne miss this.

Bale format also drives handling cost at destination. Tight, uniform, strapped bales move with a forklift and stack cleanly. Loose or bulging bales jam in pallet racks, need manual restacking, and slow down devanning. Labor hours at the warehouse are real money.

Fiber damage is a packaging issue too. Over-compressed bales with poor strapping burst during handling, and the loose fiber gets contaminated with dust and floor dirt. Under-compressed bales absorb moisture and lose shape. Both outcomes create claims.

Standard Coir Fiber Bale Specs to Agree Before Ordering

Most Indonesian coir fiber for export is pressed into hydraulic bales. Exact dimensions vary by supplier and press, so treat any figure as a range to confirm, not a fixed standard. Ask for the actual bale dimensions, weight, and density from the last three production lots.

Write the following into the PO specification sheet:

• Bale dimensions (length × width × height) with tolerance
• Bale weight and acceptable range per bale
• Density in kg/m³
• Strapping type, number of straps, and strap spacing
• Wrapping: none, woven bag, or plastic film
• Moisture content at pressing
• Fiber length range and dust/shrinkage limit
• Bale marking: lot number, weight, supplier code

Parameter	Typical export range	Buyer note
Bale dimensions	approx. 60–110 cm per side	Confirm exact figure; drives container count
Bale weight	approx. 80–150 kg	Heavier bales need forklift, not manual handling
Density	approx. 200–350 kg/m³	Higher density cuts freight per tonne
Strapping	3–6 PET or PP straps	PET holds tension better in humid transit
Moisture at pressing	approx. 12–18%	Above ~18% raises mold risk in long transit
Fiber length	5–25 cm depending on grade	Match to end use, not to press convenience

Uniformity matters as much as the average. A shipment mixing 90 kg and 150 kg bales is harder to count, stack, and cost. Ask for a weight tolerance per bale, for example ±5%, and a stated share of bales allowed outside that tolerance.

Compression Level: High-Density vs Low-Density Bales

High-density bales cut freight per tonne but raise two risks. First, very tight compression can crush brittle fiber and increase dust and short fiber on opening. Second, dense bales recover slowly, so your customer may see a smaller-looking bale after cutting straps. Test recovery on a sample before committing to a density level.

Low-density bales are gentler on fiber and easier to handle manually, which suits smaller operations without forklifts. The trade-off is fewer tonnes per container and higher freight per tonne. For low-value grades, that math rarely works over long sea routes.

The practical rule: set density by fiber grade and destination handling, not by press capacity. Long fiber for geotextile or mattress use tolerates moderate density. Short fiber and mixed grades for erosion control or growing media can take higher compression.

Ask the supplier for a sample bale pressed at the proposed density, not a hand-picked loose sample. Compression behavior is the thing you are testing.

Strapping, Wrapping and Moisture Protection

Strapping is the most common failure point. PP straps stretch and loosen in humid conditions, and a bale that loses tension starts shedding fiber. PET strapping holds tension better and resists UV, at slightly higher cost. Specify strap type, width, and count, not just “strapped”.

Edge protection reduces strap cutting into the bale. Plastic or cardboard edge boards under each strap are cheap and prevent the strap from sawing through the compressed fiber during handling. Ask whether edge protectors are included.

Wrapping choices:

• Unwrapped: cheapest, highest moisture and contamination risk
• Woven bag: moderate protection, breathable, common for fiber
• Plastic film or shrink wrap: best moisture barrier, traps any internal moisture
• Palletized with stretch film and corner boards: best for multi-handling routes

If you choose film wrapping, confirm fiber moisture at pressing first. Sealing damp fiber into plastic film invites condensation and mold during a long voyage. Breathable woven wrap is safer when moisture is near the upper limit.

Palletized vs Floor-Loaded Containers

Floor loading maximizes payload because no pallet volume is wasted. It requires the destination to have a forklift with enough capacity and a dock, and it slows devanning. Palletized loading is faster at both ends and reduces bale damage, but costs cubic space.

Loading method	20ft estimate	40ft estimate	Best for
Floor loaded, dense bales	approx. 14–18 tonnes	approx. 22–26 tonnes	High-volume importers with forklift
Palletized, standard bales	approx. 10–14 tonnes	approx. 18–22 tonnes	Distributors, multi-drop, manual warehouses
Hand-stacked, low density	approx. 8–12 tonnes	approx. 15–19 tonnes	Small buyers, low-value grades

Figures are planning ranges only. Actual payload depends on bale density, pallet height, container payload limit, and road weight rules in the destination country. Confirm with your freight forwarder before you fix a quantity in the PO.

Pallet standard matters. Asian and European pallets differ in size, and a pallet that does not fit two-across wastes container floor space. State pallet dimensions and maximum loaded pallet height in the order, and ask for a container loading plan drawing.

Container Loading Math: Volume, Payload and Road Limits

Two limits govern every coir fiber shipment: container volume and allowed weight. Volume fills first with low-density bales; weight fills first with dense bales. Know which limit binds your shipment before negotiating quantity.

Road limits often bind before the container does. Many markets cap gross vehicle weight well below the container’s payload, so a 40ft box loaded to maximum may need permits or splitting. Check the destination axle and gross weight rules for the delivery address, not just the port.

Also account for verified gross mass requirements. The shipper must provide a verified container weight before loading on board. Under-declaring weight to gain payload creates a real risk of fines, re-handling, and refused loading. Build the weight declaration into the loading plan.

Ask the supplier for a loading report with bale count, total net weight, gross weight, and photos at door closing. That report is your evidence if a weight or damage dispute arises later.

Loading Inspection Checklist and Contract Clauses

Book a third-party inspection for the first few shipments and for any change of supplier or press line. Inspection at loading catches problems while goods are still in the factory yard, which is far cheaper than a claim after arrival.

Check at loading:

• Bale count matches packing list
• Random bale weights within agreed tolerance
• Straps tight, correct count, edge protectors present
• Wrapping intact, no tears, no wet patches
• Moisture reading on random bales
• Container floor dry, clean, and lined if specified
• No visible contamination, plastic, or stones in fiber
• Photos of loading sequence and closed doors with seal number

Add contract clauses covering bale weight tolerance, minimum density, strap specification, and a damage allowance per container. Define the remedy: replacement, credit, or price adjustment. Vague quality language gives you nothing to claim against.

Finally, align packaging with your own customer. If you resell in small lots, dense 150 kg bales may be wrong for your buyers even if freight math favors them. Packaging should match the next handler in the chain, not only the ocean leg.