How doormats are made in India
Doormats are bought by the container, at low unit prices, and judged by how they look on a doorstep after a few weeks. Coir from coconut husk is the classic material, and tufted coir mats are the second-largest coir export category after coir pith (IBEF, FY2024-25). The main types are:
- Tufted coir on PVC. Coir yarn tufted into a PVC (vinyl) base so the tufts are held by the plastic. Often printed with a design or slogan on the coir face.
- Woven and brush coir mats. Coir yarn woven on looms into thick mats with no plastic, or bristle-style mats.
- Rubber-backed and moulded mats. Coir inserts set into a rubber tray or ring base.
- Jute and cotton doormats. Woven or braided mats for indoor or covered use, often washable.
Coir is stiff and sheds by nature, so some fibre loss is normal. The questions are how much, whether the tufts are locked into the base, and whether the PVC and printing are safe and durable.
What we check on doormats
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Tuft density and pull-out | Tufts counted over a set area against the sample; tufts pulled by hand at the edges and centre | Sparse tufting, tufts that pull out of the PVC |
| Shedding | Mat shaken and struck on a clean sheet; loose fibre judged against the agreed level | Heavy fibre loss from a new mat |
| PVC or rubber bond | Mat bent face out and back; edges checked for separation | Backing cracking, coir lifting away from the base |
| Thickness and weight | Pile thickness measured at several points; mat weighed | Thinner pile or lighter base than specified |
| Dry and wet rub on printed areas; design position and spelling checked against artwork | Ink rubbing off, design off-centre, wrong text | |
| Flatness | Mat laid on a flat floor; corners and edges checked | Curled corners or a bowed base that trips |
| Moisture and mould | Hand and meter check on coir and jute; back and edges examined for spots | Damp mats, mould spots, musty smell |
| Odour | Mats smelled on opening the bale or carton | Strong PVC or solvent smell |
Common doormat defects and how they are classed
| Defect | Class |
|---|---|
| Mould on mats or packing | Critical |
| PVC backing with no phthalate test for an EU order that requires it | Major (shipment on Hold until the report is in) |
| Coir separating from the backing | Major |
| Wrong or misspelt printed text | Major |
| Print rubbing off on a dry rub | Major |
| Thickness or weight below specification | Major |
| Curled corners | Minor; major if the mat cannot lie flat |
| Uneven trim on tuft ends | Minor |
Rules that apply to doormats
- US flammability. 16 CFR 1631 states that mats within the small rug sizes are included, so doormats need a passing test or the permanent FLAMMABLE label. The test must match the fibre and backing shipped; coir on PVC and woven coir are different constructions.
- Phthalates in PVC (EU). REACH Annex XVII entry 51 limits DEHP, DBP, BBP and DIBP to 0.1% by weight, individually or combined, in the plasticised material of articles. A soft PVC base is plasticised material, so it needs a test report. See REACH.
- California. DEHP and other phthalates are on the Proposition 65 list; buyers either test to a limit or warn. See Proposition 65.
- Labels and origin. Fibre content and country of origin, as for other floor coverings; see country-of-origin labelling.
The inspector checks that the test report names the same PVC compound and supplier used in production, and can pull backing samples for a lab.
Packing, transit and loading risks
- Damp coir. Coir and jute take up moisture. Mats packed damp, or stored in the monsoon, grow mould in a closed container.
- Print transfer. Printed mats stacked face to back in heat can transfer ink. Interleave printed mats or stack face to face.
- Crushed tufts. Heavy stacks flatten the coir. Agree mats per carton and the stacking height.
- Weight. PVC-backed mats are heavy; cartons need a weight limit and the right board grade. Count and carton marks are checked at loading.
What to put in your purchase order
- Mat type, size, pile thickness, finished weight and tuft density.
- Backing material and thickness, and phthalate limits with the test you require.
- Artwork, colours and text for printed mats, with a rub-fastness requirement.
- An agreed shedding level for coir, shown on a reference mat.
- Moisture limit at packing, mats per carton and stacking height.
- Labels for fibre content and origin.
For indoor mats used in the bathroom, see bath mats. For larger natural-fibre floor coverings, see jute rugs.