World's largest eco-friendly handicraft maker:

Fakih strengthens presence in Lanka

The Dubai based Fakih Collection, the multinational manufacturer of specialised gift items, souvenirs and handicraft, is now in town scouting for craft provisions from Sri Lanka for its demanding supply chain.

"My products sourced from Sri Lanka are fast moving among international tourists.

"The 'Made in Sri Lanka' label is fast gaining ground in Dubai and Abu Dhabi's sprawling tourist club area. Viet Nam just received our first 'Made in Sri Lanka' labelled handicraft shipment" revealed N.P Fakih, the Managing Director of Dubai based $300 Mn Fakih Group, on 11 November at Colombo's Cinnamon Lake.

"Fakih Collection is also one of the firms providing large scale employment opportunities to rural women handicrafters across Asia, if not in the whole world. We are also world's largest eco-friendly handicraft maker," Fakih revealed.

"We now want to enlist wood supplies from Sri Lanka. Wood is a key raw material for us and Sri Lankan wood is of good quality."

"Having visited some wood (supply) factories in Sri Lanka we have now selected a supplier from Ethkandura in Elpitiya (region). I am planning to invest in this firm substantially so that we have a bigger stake in Sri Lanka" said Fakih who bagged many awards from various governmental and non-governmental organizations for enlisting grassroots through his unique charity- business-exports model.

Fakih Group employs 5300 employees across 14 countries, (considerable number of them being women in households on a self-employment basis), to supply the growing demand volumes in their 28 international markets. The Group uses kiosk vending model and in Dubai alone runs 28 kiosks.

Among the 5300 employees are 3655 handicraft creators exclusively working for us in Asia. Among the countries supplying the more than 290,000 items strong Fakih Group multicultural gifts and souvenirs portfolio are UAE (467 items), Philippines (3600 items), Thailand (22467 items), Vietnam (11359 items), Turkey (1310 items), Morocco (12290 items), Nepal (2315 items), Cambodia (1310 items), African collection (3590 items), Indonesia (11274 items), India (55924 items), Egypt (1936 items), Yemen (3600 items) and China (160128 items).