Hayleys Fabric Archives

March 31, 2022

6.3 million invested towards preservation of 9 acres of wetland habitat
Land adjacent to park allocated for organic paddy cultivation
Ecological data compiled in collaboration with Ministry of Environment
146 species of flora and 149 species of fauna, including endemic and threatened species discovered

Further strengthening its commitment for a greener tomorrow, Hayleys Group subsidiary and leading textile manufacturer, Hayleys Fabric invested Rs. 6.3 million in 9 acres of wetland to preserve biodiversity and raise awareness of the unique endemic species found within its borders.

Bordering the Horana- Anguruwatota- Mathugama Road and Narthupana- Warakagoda Road, in the Kalutara District, ‘Diyathuru Uyana’ is situated opposite the manufacturer’s Narthupana Estate in Horana. Hayleys Fabric also allocated a 5 acre land adjacent to the park to promote organic paddy farming.

“One of the most serious threats to the survival of life on Earth is the loss of biodiversity. We’ve arrived at a position where we have to focus on the regeneration of biodiversity rather than just conservation to ensure a sustainable future. This is decidedly challenging in an industrial setting, but we are proud to say that we have successfully established a sustainable manufacturing process that is not only environmentally friendly but also positively impacts our stakeholders and employees. We have made extensive progress on our sustainability initiatives as an organisation and are now at the beginning of another chapter in our story,” Hayleys Fabric Managing Director/CEO Rohan Goonetilleke said.

Working in consultations with the Biodiversity Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment, Hayleys Fabric compiled ecological data captured from field surveys conducted from August 2020 to January 2021. The surveys discovered over 140 species of flora and fauna, including several endemic, nationally threatened, critically endangered and vulnerable species within its boundaries.

Moreover, Hayleys Fabric hopes to open up the wetland park to the general public and other interested parties. Towards this, Hayleys Fabric will construct a butterfly garden at the entrance of the park, an observation deck to oversee the park, a lake and bird watching tower to spot migrant birds, in addition to an auditorium and library to share biodiversity findings with the public, including school children and researchers.

Notably, Hayleys Fabric is also collaborating with the Agrarian Department to promote organic paddy cultivation with the allocation of a 5 acre land adjacent to Diyathuru Park. The initiative will promote healthy and sustainable food among the employees at the factory and residents in the area. A food outlet is to be constructed in the vicinity, opening up avenues for organic farmers to sell their crops alongside the rice harvested from the park. Employees also have the opportunity to grow their fruits and vegetables at home with the opportunity to sell any excess produce at the location.

Hayleys Fabric PLC is a pioneer in textiles manufacturing in Sri Lanka capable of delivering end-to-end solutions from design to manufacture, and was the first apparel sector company to be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in 2003. Maintaining a production capacity of 4.5 million metres of fabric per month, the company stands as a leading partner to globally renowned fashion, apparel and accessories brands.

November 2, 2021

Hayleys Group subsidiary and pioneering textile manufacturer, Hayleys Fabric PLC bagged the Bronze Award for the Best Writing/Script for its Annual Report for 2019/20 ‘Progressive by Nature’ at the world’s largest competition honouring excellence in annual reports, the International ARC Awards.

The globally recognised awards provide a platform to demonstrate the highest standards in the annual reports industry and is open to corporations, small companies, government agencies, non-profit organisations and associations, and agencies and individuals in the industry.

“Our journey in sustainability commenced as a compliance initiative and has now evolved into an integrated sustainability strategy and commitment to minimise the negative impacts on the environment. Therefore, the ability to transparently report on the ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) within our organisation is an essential prerequisite to showcasing our commitment and building engagement around these vital initiatives. Therefore, we are honoured to have been recognised for our excellence from among 1,800 global entries and have no doubt this will inspire each team to continue meeting our sustainability commitments,” Hayleys Fabric PLC Managing Director/CEO, Rohan Goonetilleke said.

The ARC Awards are unique in that each annual report is judged against itself, based on its success in communicating its story. Judging is not based on corporate profitability nor production but the values of creativity, clarity, effectiveness and excellence. Some of the elements considered in the judging process include the cover design, interior design, clarity of written text, presentation of corporate information, expression of financial data and how well the spirit of the organisation is communicated.

Conducted as ‘blind’ judging (name of the nominating agency is withheld), each entry is evaluated three separate times during the preliminary round by independent panels of judges representing leaders in investor relations, writing, design and photography. The final judging is made by presidents, CEOs and other senior executives of corporations, agencies and design firms.

Hayleys Fabric PLC is a pioneer in textiles manufacturing in Sri Lanka capable of delivering end-to-end solutions from design to manufacture and was the first apparel sector company to be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in 2003. Maintaining a production capacity of 3 million metres of fabric per month, the company stands as a leading partner to globally renowned fashion, apparel and accessories brands such as NIKE, Victoria Secret, Decathlon.

October 13, 2021

One of the greatest global challenges is to integrate environmental sustainability with economic growth. At the heart is “Sustainable consumption and production”, or United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12, which has pushed manufacturers across the globe to innovate and create circular economies.

It is the era of sustainability champions, who strive to redefine manufacturing and production to create rare opportunities, taking up this challenge head-on is a young Sri Lankan gaining global attention for her ground-breaking work in sustainable textile manufacturing: Hayleys Fabric Manager of Sustainability and Innovations, Leonie Vaas.

Last June, she made history for Sri Lanka when she was selected from thousands across the globe to be designated as 1 of just 10 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Pioneers by the United Nations (UN) Global Compact for 2021.

A chemical engineer by profession, Leonie is an auditor for Environment Management Systems and is a certified professional, sustainable manager. With an extensive range of experience in GHG reduction and ensuring carbon neutrality, life cycle perspective of products, plant and process improvements with sustainable technologies and textile chemical management, Leonie has paved the path for local sustainability champions to be recognised on a global platform.

As the first and only Sri Lankan to be recognised as an SDG Pioneer, Leonie primarily focuses on five key areas at Hayleys Fabric, including driving efforts in reducing GHG emissions, water preservation, improving efficiency with sustainable solutions for effluent treatment plants, building and training sustainability teams, as well as developing and applying new processes for ‘better and greener’ products.

The accolade recognised her successful work on environmentally friendly natural dyes from waste materials. Given that switching from synthetic to natural dyes can potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 36%, Leonie’s work is highlighted as worthy of replication globally.

Local innovation, global impact

“On the whole, synthetic dyes are easier to work with – allowing for a brighter and more diverse spectrum of colours to be applied to any textile with ease. That is why they are the most preferred option for any commercial-scale textile production. However, in the long term, natural dyes may hold the key to more sustainable, circular fashion supply chains,” Vaas explained.

Globally, the natural dyes market is currently projected to hit US$ 5 billion by 2024, growing at a CAGR of around 11% up to 2024[1]. With the rising tide of environmental consciousness, customers are starting to gravitate towards more sustainable purchases.

“Through trial and error, we developed a natural substitute using natural and biodegradable ingredients. Our next goal is to scale up production to meet the fast-growing demand for sustainable textiles,” Vaas explained.

Sustainable business starts with a sustainable culture

“I’ve always had a passion for the environment, and so from the start, I gravitated towards work in sustainability. Once I joined Hayleys Fabric, I was challenged and supported to link sustainability with innovation properly. Here, the opportunity to have a continuous learning experience, to be at the very forefront of sustainable innovation and part of shaping a greener future – is tremendous.

“We have a strong leadership commitment that all employees evenly match, and ultimately, that culture and enthusiasm to take the lead on sustainability are what drives our success. Sustainability at its core is driven by the higher management and we were able to come this far with the support and guidance of our CEO and Managing Director Rohan Goonetilleke. Because of this unique dynamic, we were able to rapidly commercialise our sustainable innovations, which gave me a chance to showcase what Hayleys and Sri Lanka have to offer the world. When you build the right culture, everything else flows from there,” Vaas said.

A team committed to sustainable innovation

True sustainability is about more than a single innovation. Leonie cites a host of extraordinary initiatives implemented by the Hayleys Fabric team collectively aimed at securing global leadership in sustainable textile manufacturing .

“We treat 100% of the water used for production to maintain strict compliance with certified and audited commitments on Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals. This standard is recognised globally, beyond Sri Lanka’s strict national regulations,” Leonie noted.

As a signatory to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and limit global warming at 1.5°C, Hayleys Fabric has already cut its carbon footprint by 15%. This was achieved by installing the largest private sector rooftop solar power system in Sri Lanka at the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Horana. With 9,000 solar panels installed across 18,000 square metres, the system has contributed 4.5 Mw to the National Grid since June 2021.

Leonie finds the company’s future focus on reengineering its value chain truly inspirational. “Our team is looking at substituting production supplies with recycled polyester, organic cotton, and other bio-degradable materials as well as augmenting production capabilities to create textiles from yarn comprised of recycled plastic.

The innovation team recently launched an app to enable end-to-end traceability for its recycled PET fabrics, mostly supplied locally to Sri Lanka’s largest apparel manufacturers. This will allow local producers and global retailers to tag individual pieces of clothing with a QR code, which customers can scan to learn exactly how many discarded PET bottles were used to create the item and exactly which part of Sri Lanka, the bottles were collected from.

Hayleys Fabric also connects employees with key sustainability issues through culture building, webinars, and training and awareness building workshops.

“Keeping key issues like waste segregation, pollution, and energy efficiency top of mind, ensures that the entire workforce stays engaged with the company’s quest to become a global leader in sustainable textile production. As local leaders, we must always continue to find ways to become global pioneers.”

[1] [1] Natural Dyes Market – Global Outlook and Forecast 2019-2024: www.marketresearch.com/Arizton-v4150/Natural-Dyes-Global-Outlook-Forecast-12201085/

July 22, 2021

Contributes 6,241,500kWh of power per annum to the National grid
Largest single rooftop solar installation in Sri Lanka
9,000 solar panels installed across 18,000 square metre rooftop
Carbon footprint reduced by 4,065.45 tCO2.

Leading textile manufacturer, Hayleys Fabric further reduced its carbon footprint by 15% with the installation of the largest private sector rooftop solar power system in Sri Lanka, contributing 6,241,500kWh of power per annum to the National Grid.

Installed by sister company Hayleys Fentons, the rooftop solar project was set up at Hayleys Fabric’s primary manufacturing facility in Horana and is part of a broader campaign to reduce carbon emissions and align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“Environmental sustainability is a core consideration for Hayleys Fabric. This is demonstrated in our multi-pronged approach to the environment, from supporting biodiversity conservation and reforestation initiatives to organic farming, optimising resources, and utilising sustainable raw materials in the manufacturing process.

“The installation of Sri Lanka’s largest rooftop solar project on our largest manufacturing facility is a bold testament to our commitment to ensuring the rapid evolution of our business model towards total environmental sustainability. This is a win-win situation for all stakeholders as it also improves our profitability by the use of previously idle spaces, and provides us with the opportunity to contribute clean green energy to Sri Lankans,” Hayleys Fabric Managing Director /CEO Rohan Goonetilleke said.

Consisting of 9,000 solar panels installed across 18,000 square metres of the company’s primary manufacturing facility rooftop, the system has contributed 4.5 Mw to the National Grid since June 2021.

Hayleys Fabric PLC is a pioneer in textiles manufacturing in Sri Lanka capable of delivering end-to-end solutions from design to manufacture, and was the first apparel sector company to be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange in 2003. Maintaining a production capacity of 2.5 million metres of fabric per month, the company stands as a leading partner to globally renowned fashion, apparel and accessories brands such as NIKE, Victoria Secret, Decathlon .Intimmisimi, PVH

Established in 1878 by Chas. P. Hayley, as a trading house in Galle specialising in import and export, the Hayleys Group has since grown to serve as a centrepiece of the Sri Lankan economy while maintaining a global presence of manufacturing and marketing offices across five regions with business interests spanning a total of 16 sectors. Today it stands out as one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent success stories, having been the first listed Sri Lankan corporate to surpass US$ 1billion in revenue and accounting for 3.3% of the nation’s total export earnings.

December 17, 2020

Utilises natural tea dye manufactured from refuse tea from Hayleys Plantations
Neem, thulasi as natural alternatives to silver-based anti-bacterial fabric coatings
Working with dye suppliers to develop environmentally sustainable natural dyes

Leading textile manufacturer Hayleys Fabric PLC, announced a major enhancement to its sustainability initiatives with the launch of a new line of organic, eco-friendly fabrics manufactured using environmentally sustainable processes, in line with the Sustainability Development Goals set out by the United Nations.

Using natural tea dye produced from waste tea provided by Hayleys Plantations, together with anti-bacterial and anti-viral neem and thulasi (commonly known as Holy Basil or Ocimum tenuiflorum) treatment, Hayleys Fabric now produces a range of fabrics which offers the wearer a comfortable garment that is produced under ecologically friendly conditions and is safely biodegradable at the end of its life cycle.

“In the past, the industry has mainly focused on optimising the use of synthetic dyes in the manufacturing process. However, with the rise of the environmentally-conscious consumer, demand is rapidly increasing for sustainably manufactured fabrics that minimise the use of environmentally hazardous materials. Given this backdrop, we are proud to have pioneered a safer and sustainable alternative to the synthetic dyes and treatments. In future, we hope to expand these techniques, while exploring every opportunity to further minimise our environmental footprint,” Hayleys Fabric Managing Director/ CEO, Rohan Goonetilleke said.

The tea dye has been tested to ensure it is on par with internationally accepted standards, and is totally free of hazardous chemicals, making it safer for the wearer, environment and for those involved in the manufacturing process.

The company also uses other natural dyes, derived from pomegranate (Punica granatum), mulberry (Morus alba), mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta) and black cutch (Acacia catechu). Additionally, Hayleys Fabric is also working with other natural dye suppliers in order to further develop its range of environmentally-friendly products for the market, according to Leonie Vass who leads this initiative within the INNO team.

Furthermore, the neem and thulasi anti-bacterial and anti-viral treatments developed by the company are also being tested to determine the durability of protection against pathogens, and how it can be further optimised. Notably, the treatment will reduce reliance on more commonly utilised silver-based treatments in order to further reduce the risk of environmental contamination.

Commenting on the Hayleys Fabric sustainability drive, Goonethilleke said: “The new process achieves several sustainability goals set out by the United Nations, namely the twin goals of responsible consumption and production, climate action, the protection of life below water and life on land. The project also secures the goal of partnerships as we work with Hayleys Plantations, which creates a vertical supply chain cutting costs, time and energy.”

Hayleys Fabric PLC has started leading the industry through fabric innovation and by adding value to our customers, established the first fabric mill in Sri Lanka launching its own brand “INNO”. The brand was launched through the company’s innovation centre, to provide functional, fashionable and value added fabric to the current market.

Moreover, Hayleys Fabric recycles 25% of its wastewater by utilising a state-of-the-art water treatment plant to ensure that water discharged to the adjacent river is of good quality and in accordance with all applicable environmental standards. All treated water is checked in-house and regularly by external agencies such as the Central Environment Authority (CEA), the Water Board and the Board of Investment (BOI).

Hayleys Fabric PLC, a subsidiary of Hayleys PLC, is a leading textiles manufacturer in Sri Lanka, providing end-to-end solutions from the design to manufacturing of fabric made out of natural and synthetic fibres. The company was recently presented with the Bronze Award at the Asia Sustainability Awards 2019 for the Best Integrated Report Design. Hayleys Fabric was further presented with a Bronze Award at the Presidential Environmental Green Awards in 2018.

Established in 1878 by Chas. P. Hayley as a trading house in Galle specialising in import and export, the Hayleys Group has since grown to serve as a centrepiece of the Sri Lankan economy while maintaining a global presence of manufacturing and marketing offices across five regions with business interests spanning a total of 16 sectors. Today it stands out as one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent success stories, having been the first listed Sri Lankan corporate to surpass US$ 1billion in revenue and accounting for 3.3% of the nation’s total export earnings.

October 15, 2020

Acknowledging the commitment of the Ministry of Defense in their efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, Hayleys Fabric PLC one of the leading textile manufacturers in Sri Lanka, recently donated 11,500 metres of printed fabric to the Sri Lankan Army.

This donation was made by Hayleys Chairman and Chief Executive, Mohan Pandithage together with the Managing Director of Hayleys Fabric PLC, Rohan Goonetilleke to Major General (Retd) G.D.H. Kamal Gunaratne. This initiative was Hayleys Fabric’s way of supporting the forces during this time of national crisis, their efforts becoming paramount in flattening the curve and expediting Sri Lanka’s recovery.

The company printed two types of fabrics which will be used to make both t-shirts and vests for the Army soldiers, to be worn when training in the colder climates and for warmer temperatures as well.

“With COVID-19 resulting in adverse economic and health impacts in Sri Lanka, the efforts taken by the Ministry of Defense to curb the rapid spread of this pandemic is highly commendable. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we continue to appreciate the services of our frontline workers, and this is why we at Hayleys Fabric are equipping the Sri Lankan Army with our own branded range of export quality fabrics,” Hayleys Fabric Managing Director/CEO, Rohan Goonetilleke said.

Hayleys Fabric PLC is the pioneer in textile manufacturing in Sri Lanka, and is capable of providing a portfolio of end-to-end solutions from the design to manufacturing of fabric made from natural and synthetic fibres. With its production capabilities delivering over three million metres of fabric per month, Hayleys Fabric has been recognised as a world-class fabric manufacturer, attracting the world’s leading brands to its portfolio whilst having its own innovative brand, “INNO”.

May 26, 2020

Hayleys Group subsidiary and pioneering textile manufacturer Hayleys Fabric PLC, bagged the Bronze Award for the Best Integrated Report Design at the Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards (ASRA) 2019 in Singapore.

Hosted virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Swedish Ambassador to Singapore, Niclas Kvarnström was Guest of Honour at the event which was attended by over 200 senior business leaders, sustainability partners, academia, trade associations and advocacy organisations across the region.

“Now more than ever, the concept of sustainability plays a central role in ensuring that businesses are able to survive and thrive in increasingly volatile conditions. Therefore, the ability to transparently report on sustainability within our organisation is an essential prerequisite to showcasing our commitment and building engagement around these vital initiatives. Hence, we are delighted to have been recognised among leading corporates in the Asian region,” Hayleys Fabric Managing Director/CEO, Rohan Goonetilleke said.

Continuing to raise the bar for quality and authentic reporting, the ASRA has introduced healthy competition among corporates in Asia. Evaluated by an independent panel of judges, all entries are subjected to a multi-tier evaluation process, followed by a comprehensive due diligence process.

The winners for the 2019 ceremony were selected from 461 entries submitted across 16 countries, of which 80 companies were shortlisted from 13 countries to compete in the finals across 19 categories.

The Awards recognise and honour sustainability reporting leaders in Asia, celebrating the best practices in sustainability reporting. The Awards are open to all types and sizes of private, public and non-profit organisations in all sectors which produce a sustainability report or integrated report in Asia.

Hayleys Fabrics PLC, a subsidiary of Hayleys PLC, is a leading textiles manufacturer in Sri Lanka, providing end-to-end solutions from the design to manufacturing of fabric made out of natural and synthetic fibres.

November 3, 2017

Hayleys Fabric made a profit of USD 95,854/- during the second quarter ended 30th September 2017. This is an improvement on the first quarter although the Company is at a cumulative loss of USD 66,794/- for the first half ending 30th September 2017. The main contributory factor for the loss was the unprecedented floods which hampered the production in the first quarter.

The outlook for the next quarter amidst an increase in raw material costs looks positive with an order book with better margins with production from new machinery also coming into operation. The enhancement of the Printing facility with Reactive printing and the commencement of sublimation printing, embossing facilities would enhance the Company’s product offering to attract a higher market share.

Hayleys Fabric PLC is a subsidiary of Hayleys PLC whose Board of Directors is comprised of Mohan Pandithage, Shammika Perera, Rohan Goonetilleke, Sarath Ganegoda, Haresh Somashantha, Nandajith Somaratne, Ananda Jayatilleka, and Dr. Sunil Nawaratne

Newer Posts

Hayleys Fabric drives biodiversity regeneration with Diyathuru Uyana Wetlands Park

Hayleys Fabric wins Bronze at International ARC Awards

On the global frontiers of sustainable innovation with Hayleys Fabric’s Leonie Vaas

Hayleys Fabric cuts carbon footprint by 15% with Sri Lanka’s largest solar roof

Hayleys Fabric launches new line of organic, eco-friendly fabrics to its INNO range

Hayleys Fabric Donates 11,500 Metres of Fabric to the Sri Lankan Army

Hayleys Fabric bags Bronze at Asia Sustainability Reporting Awards 2019

Hayleys Fabric is heading in a positive directions