Sri Lankan industry introduces 'Green Factories'

In today's world the consumer will increasingly decide to purchase goods, which are manufactured in an ethical manner and not the result of unethical or exploitative processes of production.

Hence, many consumers will be socially aware that currently the environment faces many threats and will insist that the goods they purchase are produced in an environmentally friendly manner. It is also correct to say that in many western countries there is a conscious policy to introduce an eco friendly lifestyle.

MAS Intimates Thuruli at Thulhiriya

Sri Lanka has always had a good environmental record and the lifestyle of her people is generally considered eco-friendly. Presently many of her exports are textiles and garments, which are destined to countries where the consumers often expect imports to be produced in an environmentally friendly manner.

It therefore follows that the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI), the country's investment promotion agency, has actively encouraged investors who produce goods, notably garments in an environmentally friendly manner. In fact many of the leading players in the textile and garment industries have indeed introduced such measures at their manufacturing plants.

Brandix green factory at Seeduwa

Being the pioneer of the concept of "total solutions" in Sri Lanka's apparel sector, the Brandix Green Factory at Seeduwa was the first apparel manufacturing facility in the world to be rated Platinum under the LEED Green Building System of the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

MAS Intimates 'Thuruli'

Another success story of a BOI company, which has set up an eco-friendly factory, is the MAS Holdings Thuruli factory in Thulhiriya, which specializes in the manufacture of lingerie. The plant was the world's first garment eco friendly factory.

The plant is powered entirely from carbon neutral sources.

CKT Apparel - 'Mihila'

Another successful example is Mihila, the newest addition to the Hirdramani Group, one of the pioneers in apparel trade in the country.

It is a fully-fledged, totally integrated facility to handle knit products. Mihila has a capacity to produce over half a million pieces per month and it plays an important social role as it has created much employment for rural youth.

It is therefore clear that environmental concerns will have a major impact on the development of future industries in Sri Lanka as this mirrors a global concern among Governments, industrialists and consumers that a right balance needs to be struck to ensure that production can be achieved within acceptable parameters of environmental protection. Hence the BOI has in recent years placed considerable importance environmental considerations in its investment promotion plans and strategies.