Sri Lankan Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen has revealed that a feasibility study for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh has been successfully accomplished and consolidation efforts of finance and banks need to be done with wider consultation. Sri Lanka says a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the country and Bangladesh could boost current levels of bilateral trade by seven-fold. In 2013, Sri Lanka’s leading exports to Bangladesh included cotton and knitted fabrics.
According to Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board (EDB), the country’s merchandise exports grew in 2014 by 6.7 per cent to be valued at US $ 11.079 billion. For the month of December last year, EDB reported that the exports of provisional merchandise rose by 9 per cent. Earnings from Textiles and Apparels increased 9.26 per cent in 2014 from the previous year and amounted to US $ 4.9 billion, while earnings from industrial products rose 6.1 per cent to US $ 8 billion in 2014. Apparel exports in the month rose by 7.3 per cent to US $ 450 million.
Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters (SLCGE) and Sri Lanka Apparel Sourcing Association (SLASA) are confident of achieving this year’s Government target of US $ 5 billion in export revenue. “If the country is able to sign an agreement with China and tap the Japanese market, Sri Lanka could easily achieve the export target US $ 8.5 billion in 2020,” said Rohan de Silva, Administration, SLCGE Manager. Another official added that economic interests of the country should be foremost in the negotiations with the European Union since if Sri Lanka manages to get the GSP Plus facility back, their target would be much easier. Even without GSP Plus, the sector achieved a target of US $ 4.8 billion last November. An Export Development Board official opined that there is an advantage in sourcing from Sri Lanka due to its central location, which provides the shortest shipping times to Europe. For those who are concerned not only with the quality of the product but also the values of the manufacturers, Sri Lanka will definitely be the ultimate choice, she added.
With increase in demand from global markets, Sri Lanka is now producing more of handloom and batik textile products. The amalgamation of traditional designs blended with contemporary trends in modern material woven in new processing techniques, has made export quality handlooms access competitive foreign markets. Sri Lanka exports curtains, table linen, bed linen, kitchen linen, upholstery and dress fabric and other products to foreign markets. These products are exported to countries like Italy, Germany, France, UK, Norway, Netherlands, Maldives and Thailand. There are about 900 private handloom manufacturers inclusive of small, medium and large-scale are operating in the country.
The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) recently identified a syndicate of logistics service providers who have played a major role in the import/export areas of the Sri Lankan apparel sector and recognized them as ‘Preferred Partners’ for development of their services in an ‘ethical, transparent and efficient’ manner as their clients in the apparel trade.
MPT Cooray, Secretary General, JAAF recently signed a MoU with seven of the main local logistics service providers bringing them closer to apparel sector’s supply chain system with the objective of consolidating the industry’s position globally. The members of the 7 “Preferred Partners” include CL Synergy (Private) Limited, DRH Logistics International, ExpoLanka Freight (Pvt) Ltd, Freight Links International (Pvt) Ltd, Hellman Worldwide Logistics (Pvt) Ltd, Scanwell Logistics Colombo (Pvt) Ltd and Shermans Logistics (Pvt) Ltd.
The Sri Lankan Export Development Board (SLEDB), Lanka’s apex export facilitator, recently linked top Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers to Inditex-the world’s largest textile retailer. “Our apparel sector caters to several leading international retailers, however we are yet to manufacture for Inditex. This effort directly links our apparel manufacturers to Zara for the first time,” said Chitranjali Dissanayake, Director-Industrial Products, SLEDB. This development was mainly guided by the keen interest of Lankan industry leaders in developing business contacts with Spain’s Inditex and to manufacture apparel in Sri Lanka for its brand-Zara. The EDB subsequently initiated a dialogue with Inditex and arranged for an initial meeting with a Lankan delegation to present the country’s capabilities and invite Inditex SA to source from Sri Lanka. The meeting with Jesus Echevarria Hernandez, General Director of Communication for Inditex SA at their headquarters in Spain is expected to reap positive results.
The Brandix Apparel Solutions Limited (BASL) that manufactures lingerie for international labels has been awarded with the 2014 ‘Vidulka’ Gold award for its impressive achievement of a 34 per cent reduction in electricity consumption in the period of evaluation. BASL – Lingerie, the Company’s CEO Rajiv Malalasekera said, “The process of reducing the environmental footprint of our operations is a continuous one at Brandix. We keep exploring the boundaries of what is possible in our search for reductions in the use of natural resources, and this has resulted in noteworthy results in energy efficiency and water conservation.” Another Brandix business unit, Brandix Apparel Solutions Limited – Essentials at Ratmalana received a Merit award in the ‘Commercial Building’ category, for the effort it has made to improve its level of energy performance over the past five years. BASL – Essentials is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold-certified facility by the US Green Building Council and is certified for ISO 50000, ISO 14000 and ISO 18000.
A book has been published by the Brandix Group as a tribute to the Father of Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing industry-Martin Trust. Titled “Built on Trust”, the 238-page book provides an insight in to founding years of MAST industries and the role played by Trust in successfully placing Sri Lanka on the global apparel sourcing map through the eyes of Brandix and MAS. The book also includes contributions from Les Wexner, Founder, Chairman and CEO, L Brands, Inc., Jack Welch, former Executive VP, MAST Industries Inc. and Alok Malhotra, former MD – Indian Subcontinent for Tommy Hilfiger-all of them known as Martin’s closest business associates.
Textile companies from Taiwan will exhibit a wide range of quality design and high performance textile and garment products at Taiwan Textiles Fairs in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 24-25, 2014 which will be organized by the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF) and the Bureau of Foreign Trade. The show will display products ranging from textured yarns, recycled polyester yarns and fabrics, woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, functional fabrics, outdoor and sports fabrics, label, badge, ribbon, etc. TTF provides a platform to Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers, exporters, retailers, and importers to interact with manufacturers from Taiwan to source fabrics and textile auxiliaries that will add more value to their product-range.
Leading knit fabrics producer Textured Jersey Lanka PLC (TJL), has reported a top line of US $ 26.92 billion and net profit of US $ 2.16million for the second quarter that ended on 30 September 2014. Sales up by 29 per cent and net profit was up by 72 per cent while net profit up by 7 per cent on a quarter to quarter basis. Bill Lam Chairman of the company said that the construction phase of the multi fuel co-generation boiler plant was successfully completed during the quarter and test operations had been started. The plant will be fully operational in the coming quarters and is expected to generate substantial savings in energy costs. Similarly, the recently added 10-12 per cent capacity will be fully utilized during the coming quarters with US demand coming back on track.
In its endeavor to seek innovative approach to solve challenges of apparel sector, the Brandix Group is now supporting the University of Sri Jayewardenepura’s World Class University Project. Under the project the Sri Lankan manufacturer will be working with the entrepreneurial pool built by the University to solve apparel sector specific challenges. The program is set to work on ubiquitous challenge of optimized costing and innovation opportunities such as Big Data for demand forecasting; customized 3D printed garments as a result of the integration of technology and the supply chain, and innovative products such as health-tracking garments, nanotubes and nanobots.
Renowned Sri Lankan entrepreneur, Deshabandu Kumar Devapura, the Founder Chairman of Tristar Apparel Exports who gained international fame for his contribution to develop the Garment industry passed away after a brief illness. He was 63. He won the Presidential Export Awards for Garment Industry in 1987, 1991, 1992 and 1993. Kumar also won the Special Presidential Export Awards four times as the highest foreign exchange earning enterprise in the Garment sector. He started his own factory, “Thushara Garments” with just 10 sewing machines at Katubedda, Moratuwa, in 1979.
May 06, 2026 | 3 weeks ago
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