Apparel industry takes stock of recovery challenges at SLABA flagship forum

SRI Lanka's domestic apparel industry gathered at a critical moment in the country's economic recovery as the Sri Lanka Apparel Brands Association (SLABA) hosted its annual flagship event recently at Port City, bringing together leading apparel brands, suppliers, and industry partners for an evening of strategic reflection, data-driven analysis, and forward-looking dialogue.

- BY CHARUMINI DE SILVA

The event, titled 'Reconnect with SLABA-Exclusive Evening with Industry Knowledge,' marked a milestone for the Association as it reinforced the growing maturity of Sri Lanka's homegrown apparel brands and their increasing engagement with broader macroeconomic and policy debates.

The discussions underscored an industry at a crossroads, facing fragile economic stability, but also a rare opportunity to reposition itself through reform, innovation, and global competitiveness.

Of the evening's key features were two keynote addresses under the theme "The Real Economy: What Every Apparel Entrepreneur Should Expect in the Next Three Years,' which placed the sector's business outlook squarely within the context of the country's fragile economic stabilisation.

Advocata Institute Chairman Murtaza Jafferjee delivered a wide ranging assessment of the economy, cautioning that while Sri Lanka has moved out of the acute phase of crisis into a period of relative macroeconomic calm, the foundations of stability remain weak.

He warned that without deep structural reforms, increased competition, and a decisive break from inward-looking policy approaches, the current stability would not translate into sustained growth.

Jafferjee framed his analysis through Michael Porter's competitiveness framework, arguing that Sri Lanka has long misunderstood the difference between competition and competitiveness. "Competition is merely participation in the market, while competitiveness is the ability to innovate, upgrade, and consistently deliver higher value," he said.

Using a vivid analogy, he told the audience that "getting into the ring is competition, but winning the fight is competitiveness," stressing that long-term success depends on productivity gains and innovation rather than protection.

Jafferjee cautioned that Sri Lanka's domestic market does not exert sufficient pressure on apparel brands to move up the value chain.