Sri Lanka’s apparel industry made a strong debut with its first-ever country pavilion at Source Fashion London 2026, held from 13 to 15 January at Olympia London, one of the UK’s and Europe’s leading apparel sourcing exhibitions.
The Sri Lanka Pavilion was officially inaugurated on Tuesday (13 Jan) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony graced by Nimal Senadheera, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the UK, and Lord Hannett of Everton OBE, the UK’s Trade Envoy to Sri Lanka, in the presence of industry representatives and officials from the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the Sri Lanka High Commission in London.
Sri Lanka’s participation was jointly organised by the EDB, the Sri Lankan apparel industry, and the Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK, with the objective of strengthening trade ties, expanding buyer networks, and positioning Sri Lanka as a preferred sourcing destination for the UK and European markets. A total of 20 Sri Lankan apparel booths, including 12 SMEs, showcased locally manufactured apparel, textiles, handmade products, and value-added solutions.
The pavilion highlighted high-quality, ethically produced collections with a strong emphasis on sustainability, transparency, innovation, and long-term partnerships.
Exhibitors included Star Garments Group, Insomnia, J K Garments (Pvt.) Ltd, New Universe Clothing SL, Protector Clothing Manufacturers, Janasri Mills, Pridemo Apparel, Senvin Collection, True Digital Printing, Concord Manufacturing, Kobithan Garments, Hayleys Free Zone Ltd, JAS Activewear, Krisherert Holdings, Jia Moda, Randhi International, “Creative Sri Lanka” booth and the EDB booth.
Sri Lankan apparel also featured prominently in Source Fashion catwalk shows, demonstrating the country’s design excellence, manufacturing capability, and competitiveness in meeting global market expectations. Sri Lanka’s presence was further strengthened by new trade opportunities under the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), effective from 1 January 2026, which grants zero import duty and flexible Rules of Origin, creating greater competitive advantages for Sri Lankan apparel exports to the UK market.
Source Fashion London continues to serve as a key platform for ethical and responsible sourcing, bringing together brands, buyers, manufacturers, and suppliers from nearly 25 countries, including Sri Lanka, China, India, Turkey, Portugal, and the UK. Sri Lanka’s participation underscores its growing reputation as a trusted, sustainable, resilient, and innovative apparel sourcing destination, aligned with global market expectations, evolving supply chain requirements, and the Government of Sri Lanka’s vision for export promotion, industrial development, and increased export revenue in overseas markets. (Newswire)