Textured Jersey collections at Sri Lanka Design Festival

A three-pronged initiative by Textured Jersey PLC, Sri Lanka’s largest manufacturer of knitted fabric, to showcase the potential of locally-produced knitted fabrics to the global fashion industry will be one of the highlights of the 2012 edition of the Sri Lanka Design Festival (SLDF).

Reprising its role as Official Fabric Partner to the SLDF, the company has provided its knit fabric and discarded fabric waste to two well-known Sri Lankan designer labels, ‘Redcocoon’ and ‘Lonali’ to produce new collections that will be seen for the first time on the SLDF ramp November 17.

Textured Jersey’s effort with ‘Redcocoon,’ which was launched in 2010 as Sri Lanka’s first sustainable clothing line, promotes the company’s focus on sustainability. Redcocoon has created new opportunities not only in using Sri Lanka’s apparel waste but also in improving and complementing the country’s ethical manufacturing process. Using reclaimed fabric and trims from the Sri Lankan apparel industry and made in factories that are certified “garments without guilt,” Redcocoon clothing is inherently a low carbon product.

The label ‘Lonali’ will showcase a collection of crochet toppers and pullovers produced in knitting centres in Mallavi and Mullaitivu and patched tops with hairpin laced bands produced with Textured Jersey’s waste fabric, as well as garments made from weaves that use some of the waste yarn and cut off salvages of Textured Jersey. Some of the items from the collection will be available at the SLDF pop-up store.

Complementing these two collections will be a third selected from 33 second year students following a BA course in Fashion Design at the Academy of Design (AOD), using knit fabrics of Textured Jersey. The students were given two months to come up with a collection, and spent time at the company’s fabric mill working closely with factory personnel to understand the vari- ous qualities of Jersey fabric. They also received training of the entire process from design to manufacture.

Commenting on Textured Jersey’s work with the AOD students, Stuart MacLeod, Head of Fashion at the Academy said: “Working with Textured Jersey offered the designers the possibility to understand the huge potential in construction, drape and finish. Jersey is more than ever dominating retail, but still has limitless possibilities to create new and exciting fashion pieces. Textured Jersey’s support in providing top quality and innovative materials to our students was invaluable in the project’s creative and realistic conclusion.”

This is the second consecutive year of Textured Jersey’s support to the Sri Lanka Design Festival. The company is the first textile mill in the backward integrated supply chain to sponsor this prestigious annual event.