Coats Thread partners Design Festival 2011

* To elevate Sri Lankan apparel and fashion to the global platform

* Coats keen to promote research, development and product innovation in apparel

Coats, which has raised the bar and set industry standards in the area of sewing solutions, has joined hands with Sri Lanka Design Festival to project the many capabilities of the local apparel and fashion industry to the world.

Coats operate in 71 countries, with 73 factories and 94 other facilities globally and are the world leader in manufacture and distribution of sewing and embroidery threads and consumer crafts. Coats are also the second largest manufacturer of zips in the world.

Sri Lanka is well-positioned to become a regional leader in apparel as it offers end-to-end turnkey solutions in the sector.

However, Coats believes that an aspect that allows Sri Lanka to distinguish itself among other regional competitors is the local apparel industry’s growing capacity to serve as a knowledge based industry where design plays a key role.

It is in this framework, that Coats supports Sri Lanka Design Festival where the knowledge based creative strength of Sri Lankan apparel is shown to the world.

“Coats have always been a believer of fusing design, innovation and technology to produce unique, high-quality products and services; SL design festival shares the same vision and we’re pleased to support them,” Managing Director of Coats Thread in Sri Lanka Giles Watkins said.

Sri Lanka Apparel Exco member and board member of Sri Lanka Design Festival said that Coats Association with SL Design Fest Kumar Mirchandani supports to differentiate Sri Lanka apparel industry from the other emerging garment industries of the region.

He said: “The future of South Asian apparel is a competitive one, and Sri Lanka needs to stand out. Supporting our home-grown creative and design talent and linking it with the manufacturing industry will ensure this. On behalf of Sri Lanka Design Festival, I thank Coats for supporting SLDF.”

Coats invests around US$ 200 million on research, development and product innovation and is a firm supporter of sharing knowledge and creative education. Therefore, the association with SLDF will also result in a range of fashion workshops sponsored by Coats in November.

In addition, Coats Global CEO Paul Forman will also arrive in Sri Lanka to take part in the festival and speak at the seminal South Asian Apparel Leadership Forum where topics crucial for local industry growth will be discussed by apparel giants.

Nikihil Hirdaramani, SLDF board member and director of Hirdaramani group said: “We’re very positive about SLDF’s positive impact on the apparel industry, and the help received from our backward integration giants like Coats has been tremendous.  The leading manufacturers of Sri Lanka apparel are behind Coats and design festival in their joint venture to position our industry as the regional leader.”

The partnership will also project Sri Lanka’s industrial and creative potential to leading global markets through Coats’ huge network of international industrial clients that include Gap, Nike, North Face, Decathlon and Prada.

Founder of Sri Lanka Design Festival Linda Spendewinde said Coats is one Sri Lanka design festival 2011’s biggest supporters; “Coats has identified design as the future of the industry, and this partnership has allowed us to do much more for Sri Lanka apparel, than we have been able to do in the past. Coats have also been a genuine supporter of the festival’s craft and sustainable agendas and the Coats team have been wonderfully accommodative from the beginning. We’re glad to have them onboard.”

SLDF is conceptualised and organised by the Academy of Design (AOD), Sri Lanka’s pioneering and inspiring design campus that offers international creative and design education while serving as a dynamic catalyst of the local creative industry growth.

AOD organises SLDF in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka and key industry stakeholders including the Joint Apparel Association Forum – the apex body the Sri Lankan apparel industry.

Other Key partners include; Mount Lavinia Hotel – Festival Host, Textured Jersey – Official Fabric Partner, Trade Card – Official Software Partner, Hellmann – Official Shipping and Logistics Partner and SriLankan Airlines – Official Airline along with Knowledge Partner – British Council, Sparklink Travels, Bates Strategic Alliance PR, Social mIdea, Norwegian Embassy and Addikt Design Movement.