BRANDIX SETS TREND FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Brandix, Sri Lanka’s single largest apparel exporter with over 45,000 associates supported by 38 manufacturing facilities in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, plays a pivotal role in the apparel arena.
On a journey to deliver Inspired Solutions at every point of its operations, the company continues to develop, manufacture and market end-to-end apparel solutions to world-renowned brands, while inspiring sustainable development in the communities it operates in.
The group provides over 50 percent of value addition locally through its backward-linked operations in textiles, thread, buttons and hangers. The company specialises in casual bottoms, intimate and activewear, woven and knitted fabrics and a host of apparel industry accessories.
The company has made significant progress since its inception, by achieving the world’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification in 2008 and the world’s first Net Zero Carbon status for its factory in Batticaloa in 2019, setting the trend for other manufacturers to follow in its wake.
Brandix aims at achieving carbon neutrality across its operations by 2020, as it embarks on a broad 10-year strategy that is anchored to actionable group-wide targets and recognises the unique biodiversity of every nation it operates in, with a commitment to manage environmental performance without any disruption.
Brandix recently organised a media tour at the Brandix Batticaloa manufacturing facility to make the journalists aware of the work they do in the Batticaloa factory.
Background to Brandix sustainability journey
Since 2007, Brandix has pioneered sustainable practices, taking great, impactful business strides to bring it closer to the group’s vision of becoming the most sustainable apparel manufacturer in Asia and beyond.
Brandix sustainability journey focuses on three key pillars such as air, water and earth, where the company has made significant progress over the years. Brandix Director Projects Natasha Boralessa said the sustainability journey of the company has resulted in Brandix being the first in the world on a number of occasions.
Sustainability is far from being an unfamiliar concept at Brandix. Choosing to lead by example, the company has consistently been at the forefront of national and global efforts to adopt best practices for sustainable development.
Boralessa said they had been providing Inspired Solutions to renowned brands across the world for over 40 years, as a leading apparel solutions provider in Sri Lanka.
“Our vertically integrated supply chain, expanding global network of manufacturing and operating locations, an inspired employee base and infrastructure have helped us deliver millions of garments to our customers. Combining this with our expertise in product innovation, research and development, unparalleled speed in delivery and an unwavering commitment to delivering,” Boralessa said.
She said Brandix would continue its work in environmental sustainability undeterred, reinforced by an agenda that goes beyond compensating for the impact the industry has on the environment and instead focusing on minimising its carbon footprint through longterm measures of energy optimisation and utilising on-site renewable energy resources, across its manufacturing operations.
“We signed up with the Green Building Council, where we made a pledge that all Brandix facilities will be Net Carbon Zero by 2023,” Boralessa said.
Over the past 10 years, Brandix has invested over US $ 30 million in ultraefficient and green technology and is keen on investing at a faster pace for the company to reach its goal in 2023.
Batticaloa factory achieves ‘Net Zero Carbon’ status
Achieving yet another millstone, the Brandix Batticaloa manufacturing facility became the world’s first manufacturing facility to achieve the ‘Net Zero Carbon’ status.
This signifies that the Brandix factory in Batticaloa has completely neutralised its environmental impact through carbon dioxide emissions by being highly energy efficient and using on-site renewable energy resources.
As both the first Sri Lankan company and the first apparel manufacturer to commit to net zero carbon buildings across its operations, Brandix is setting an example in leading the transition towards net-zero buildings in Sri Lanka and within its industry.
This is the second major sustainability milestone for the Brandix Batticaloa factory, which achieved the highest LEED Platinum rating in Sri Lanka, which is also the second highest rating in the world.
Salient features at Batticaloa factory
The building is designed according to the
US Green Building Council and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers’ (ASHRAE) building guidelines. Around 44 percent of energy is generally consumed for the cooling of the building, hence focused on optimising the cooling energy through the building design itself.
Monitoring real-time building energy consumption with the support of a building management system.
Utilising solar tubes to provide solar light into the building minus the solar heat. These solar tubes have contributed to increase the indoor lighting level by an average of 122 lux in the building during daylight.
The Batticaloa factory lighting is 100 percent LED generated as LED consumes less power than CFL, resulting in savings of over 50 percent lighting energy load versus conventional lighting.
Use of production information system through which the material flow can be visualised and helps identify the bottle necks in line feedings. All material supplies are synchronised through this system, which has contributed towards eliminating all paperwork.
Reuse of waste threads by segregating and storing used thread cone in separate bins. These threads are then reused when new styles are introduced.
Treated water pond: This pond receives treated water from the sewage treatment plant (STP). The pump-house then releases the treated water to the irrigation network around the factory through efficient water sprinklers.
The food waste composter produces compost from food waste within a span of 24 hours. The output is then used for in-house fertiliser and the company intends to donate it to associates for their home gardens as well. Installation of a 1.65MW rooftop solar plant, which yields 2,975 MWH, exceeding the annual energy requirement of the premises. Implementation of an online solar monitoring by using the Sunny Portal software, which results in 1,591 tonnes net reduction in CO2 emissions annually and an overall reduction of 31,820 tonnes over a period of 20 years. All water and sanitary fittings at the premises are LEED Platinum rated and helps save over 53 percent of water, when compared with conventional water fittings.
Solar Hot Water System: The company uses a solar hot water system to provide hot water and dish washing.
In conclusion, it is appropriate to end the story with the remarks made by Brandix Corporate Social Responsibility Head Anusha Alles, who said, “Employees and the vicinity they live in are central to our organisation. Health and education play a crucial part in their journey and it is when these needs are addressed that an organisation gains and society benefits.”