Sri Lanka to be the source of global inspiration in sustainable fashion manufacturing

Monday, 18 October 2010 17:13 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Global Thought Leaders gather in Sri Lanka in November to discuss key issues at Sri Lanka Design Festival's seminal ethical fashion symposium

The 2010 Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF) will be held this year from 11-17 November 2010 in Colombo. This groundbreaking event will display the best of Sri Lankan design and ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices on a global platform.

Renowned global opinion leaders and leading knowledge authorities on sustainable fashion will participate in an international gathering for the Ethical Fashion Symposium on 12 November. Experts from all over the world will come together to focus on practical solutions for manufacturing, buying and sourcing and ethics. The Ethical Fashion Symposium aims to promote Sri Lanka’s apparel industry as an exemplary initiative that can deliver ethical fashion products.

The event has drawn many global leaders and brands – current speakers include some top names in the industry including speakers such as Patrick Laine – WWF’s Director, Elisabeth Satouris and Michael Mc Donough along with 50 other key delegates who will attend the week.

Sir Colin Mc Dowell, legendary fashion authority and Brand Ambassador for Sri Lanka Design Festival, chairs the Symposium.

This symposium, which is set to be a key event in the global calendar for ethical fashion, is pragmatic and solution-based while being a matchless amalgamation of timely content and globally acclaimed delegates.

The Ethical Fashion Symposium is also an exceptional hybrid of big business and high fashion and new economics with the likes of Gucci and Stella McCartney rubbing shoulders with Marks and Spencer, and Wall Mart along with the ethical Fashion Forum and Centre of sustainability.

Collaboration will be a vital skill in the 21st Century and this combination has been facilitated at this symposium with the apparel industry in Sri Lanka looking forward to some good dialogue and radical solutions. Sri Lanka apparel also hopes to stress on initiatives like Garments without Guilt that are already existent in Sri Lanka and plans to share these ventures with the rest of the world.

Linda Speldewinde, Managing Director of the Academy of Design (AOD) and Founder of SLDF, elaborates: “Many in the West have been campaigning for a global standard on clothing and –what we want to share is that our industry has already implemented one. Sri Lanka is going through a very interesting period of development now and there will be many attending with fashion interest because of the excellent fashion manufacturing industry and the green factories.”

“Our Government has supported sustainability of creative industries on all counts and we believe this event could have a monumental impact on the fashion industry globally and contribute enhancing Sri Lanka Apparel’s global positioning as the words sustainable fashion manufacturing destination.”

More details regarding tickets for workshops and seminars will be available online through the Sri Lanka Design Festival Website; www.srilankadesignfestival.com.