Hirdaramani Industries joins Sustainable Apparel Coalition

Hirdaramani Industries recently announced that it has joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and will use the group’s sustainability measurement tool, the Higg Index, to drive environmental responsibility across its supply chain.

With its membership with the SAC, Hirdaramani joins more than 90 global brands, retailers and manufacturers, as well as Government, non-profit environmental organisations, and academic institutions, which are collectively committed to improving supply chain sustainability in the apparel and footwear industries.

In its relationship with the SAC, Hirdaramani will contribute both data and resources to support the Higg Index, which gauges environmental sustainability and drives supply chain decision-making to better efficiency and increased sustainability performance. The Higg Index is an open source, indicator-based tool that allows suppliers, manufacturers, brands and retailers to evaluate materials, products, facilities and processes based on environmental and product design choices.

Hirdaramani remains committed to building a better world, by restoring the environment, creating economic value and lasting change to ensure a better, sustained planet for future generations.

“We are pleased to be joining SAC as we feel it perfectly complements our own efforts to create a more sustainable footprint. We also understand the impact that collaboration can have on creating better business practices and we believe that over time SAC will have a truly positive impact on value chain performance. We are happy to play our role as industry leaders in enabling this,” Hirdaramani Group Director Nikhil Hirdaramani said.

Coalition Executive Director Jason Kibbey said: “We congratulate Hirdaramani Industries for joining this industry-wide effort, to measure and improve the environmental and social impacts of apparel and footwear. As a recognised leader in sustainability innovation, we are confident that they will make an important contribution to our global work.”

There are currently more than 90 members of the SAC, the majority of which are global brands and retailers including: Adidas, C&A, Gap, H&M, JC Penny, Kohl’s, Levi’s, L.L. Bean, M&S, Nike, Nordstrom, Puma, REI, Target, and VF Corporation.

Evolving from a single retail store established in 1890, today the Hirdaramani Group is a diversified organisation with over 40,000 employees spread across six countries and six industry segments. A pioneer in the Sri Lankan apparel industry, Hirdaramani supplies some of the world’s best brands with clients in the US, UK and Europe. With a fully integrated infrastructure encompassing 30 manufacturing facilities across Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Vietnam, product development, design, printing, embroidery, washing and packaging, Hirdaramani is a one-stop shop for the apparel industry.

The company has also led the way in the adoption of greener technologies and processes boasting the world’s first custom built green apparel factory and Asia’s first Carbon Neutral apparel factory. Hirdaramani is a committed proponent of better businesses practices and has remained a catalyst for innovation and change in the apparel industry for over 120 years.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition, representing more than one-third of the global apparel and footwear industries, was formed by sustainability leaders and leading environmental and social organisations to address current social and environmental challenges. Recognising that improved supply chain practices are both a business imperative and an opportunity, the Coalition seeks to lead a shared vision of industry supply chain sustainability through the creation and use of the Higg Index.

In measuring and evaluating apparel and footwear product sustainability performance through the Higg Index, the Coalition aims to spotlight priorities for action and opportunities for technological innovation.