Sri Lanka to launch first-ever apparel roadshow in UK

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), along with SLASA, the Sri Lanka High Commission in the UK, and JAAF, will host the 'Sourced Sri Lanka – Textile & Apparel Roadshow' in London in June 2024.

The event will be held under the theme ‘Sourced Sri Lanka - Building Everlasting Relationships One Garment a Time’.

Set for early June, the event will feature fifty exhibitors and attract around a thousand foreign buyers and Sri Lankan trade visitors. The event aims to forge new connections and strengthen existing relationships with UK buyers.

In a statement to the media, the EDB said the roadshow is crucial given challenges, such as declining demand in key markets; US, UK, and Europe. It marks Sri Lanka's first standalone export promotion event in over twenty years, with plans to expand to other countries.

The goal is to boost apparel exports to the UK by USD 1 billion by 2026.

The event will highlight Sri Lankan craftsmanship, creativity, and sustainability, and aims to resonate with environmentally conscious UK consumers. It will also serve as a platform to educate potential buyers about Sri Lankan apparel attributes and market trends.