Sri Lanka
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka │ ශ්රී ලංකා ප්රජාතාන්ත්රික සමාජවාදී ජනරජය │ இலங்கை சனநாயக சோசலிசக் குடியரசு
The textile and garment industry is of overall economic importance to Sri Lanka. The industry accounted for nearly 47 per cent of exports in 2019 and provides employment for more than 350,000 workers in the formal sector and about twice that number in the informal sector. This represents about 33 per cent of all manufacturing jobs. The majority of employees are women.
In May 2017, after a seven-year hiatus, the European Union's (EU) Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status was reactivated for Sri Lanka. Positive impetus is already evident: in 2018, the country increased its total exports of textiles and garments by nearly 4.8 per cent. Many domestic textile producers are switching to producing high-quality garments to maintain their competitiveness, rather than focusing on mass production. Manufacturing is now focusing on fewer product categories, such as underwear or sportswear. The ambitious goal is to increase the export revenues of the apparel industry to US$8 billion by 2025, which requires an annual growth rate of 6 per cent.
Population
Total
22,156,000 (2021)
Gross Domestic Product
GDP per Capita (constant USD, thousand)
4,157 (2021)
Human Development Index Ranking
HDI Rank (out of 191 countries)
73 (2021)
Garment/Textile Workers
Number of workers in the garment/textile sector
350,000 (2022)
Women Workers in the Garment/Textile Industry
Percentage of women workers employed in the garment/textile industry
70% (2022)
Number of Garment/Textile Factories
Number of factories in the garment/textile industry
352 (2022)
Garment/Textile Industry Exports
(USD$ billion)
USD 5.591 billion (2022)
Garment/Textile Industry Size
Percentage of total exports
44% (2022)
Key Garment/Textile Export Markets
Top five countries ($USD value exported and subsequent percentage)
Country | Percentage of Exports |
---|---|
United States | 39.86% |
United Kingdom | 13.27% |
Italy | 7.81% |
Germany | 5.76% |
Belgium | 4.16% |
Government Entities
Government agencies actively involved in the garment/textile industry
Board of Investment Sri Lanka
Ministry of Labour
Export Development Board of Sri Lanka
Worker Organizations
Trade unions, Union federations, and other worker organizations
Free Trade Zone and General Services Employees Union
Textile, Garment and Clothing Workers Union
Ceylon Mercantile Industrial and General Workers Union
Commercial and Industrial Workers Union
Employer/Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce
Employers and industry related associations, private sectors associations and chambers of commerce
Employers Federation of Ceylon
Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters Association (constituent of JAAF)
Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Development Agencies/ International Organizations
National and international development organizations working within the garment/textile industry
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
GIZ FABRIC
Civil Society Organizations/ Non-governmental Organizations
Organizations working within the garment/textile industry
Da-Bindu Collective
Stand-Up Movement Sri Lanka
Women’s Centre
Revolutionary Existence for Human Development
Solidarity Center
Asia Floor Wage Alliance
Sources of data provided
- Population: Population, total | Data (worldbank.org)
- GDP Per Capita: GDP per capita (constant 2015 US$) | Data (worldbank.org)
- HDI: Country Insights | Human Development Reports (undp.org)
- Garment / Textile Workers: Joint Apparel Association Forum
- Women Workers in the Garment /Textile Industry: Joint Apparel Association Forum
- Number of Garment / Textile Factories: Joint Apparel Association Forum
- Garment / Textile Industry Export: Joint Apparel Association Forum
-
Garment / Textile Industry Size: Joint Apparel Association Forum
- Key Garment / Textile Export Market Sri Lanka Textiles and Clothing Exports by country & region 2020 | WITS Data (worldbank.org)
*Textiles and Clothing Exports in 2020
News on Sri Lanka
Source Fashion 2024 to debut three new sourcing countries
UK responsible sourcing show Source Fashion expects to double in size in 2024 with more than 320 exhibitors from around the world, including three new sourcing destinations.
Read MoreSri Lanka’s eco-friendly apparel manufacturing surges with GOTS certification uptick
The Joint Apparel Association (JAAF) has observed a growing pattern within Sri Lanka's apparel manufacturing industry, with an increasing number of companies opting to adopt the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
Read MoreRMG makers plan Tk9,000 monthly wages
The readymade garment (RMG) makers are planning to propose Tk 9,000 monthly wages for grade 7 workers to the Minimum Wages Board, despite the workers’ demand for Tk 23,000 per month.
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