Textiles and apparel are key manufacturing sectors in Sri Lanka. Between them they account for over 43% of the country’s total exports and for more than 56% of its industrial exports.
In addition, they account for 39% of total industrial output in value terms, according to data for 2006. This places them ahead of food, beverages and tobacco (22%), chemicals, petroleum, rubber and plastic products (21%) and non-metallic mineral products (8%).
Furthermore, the textile and apparel sectors are a major source of employment. They are estimated to have accounted for about 75% of Sri Lanka’s total manufacturing workforce1 in 2007 when indirect employees are taken into account.
