* Leads the industry through fabric innovation

Hayleys MGT Knitting Mills, the fabric arm of the diversified blue-chip conglomerate Hayleys Group became the first company in Sri Lanka’s textile industry to launch its own brand, INNO. The brand was launched through its own Innovation Centre, in order to supply new fashion value added and functional fabric requirements to the current market. This will allow Hayleys MGT to differentiate itself and attract key brands to source innovative fabric from Sri Lanka. Launched in January 2014, ‘Inno’ has already attracted key buyers to develop fabric for future seasons. They have also successfully managed to secure brand owner designers to select ‘Inno’ fabrics.

Managing Director of Hayleys MGT, Mr. Rohan Goonetilleke stated, “Innovation in the fabric industry is not common in Sri Lanka as the industry generally duplicates fabric. Therefore we wanted to differentiate ourselves in the industry which led to the conceptualizing and launch of the Innovation Centre and the launch of the ‘Inno’ branded fabric range. We aim to take the company to the next level in the fabric industry and with the launch of ‘Inno’ we have become the top Innovation Centre for weft knitted fabrics locally. I am extremely proud of this achievement and the team behind the Innovation Center.”

Currently the ‘Inno’ range consists of lightweight feathered (pihatu), cross dyed colour magic, vertical knits, three layer sandwich knit, soaking cool, hybrid magic, transparent/honeymoon collection for men, butterfly creations and polka dots which are used by different users for active wear, lingerie and sleepwear. Taking it a step further, an automated Fabric Teller Machine (AFTM) helps to locate various fabric qualities.

INNO fabric in garment form was show-cased through a fashion show at the Hayleys Group Chairman’s Awards Night held at the Kingsbury Hotel recently.

Hayleys MGT Knitting Mills is one of the most diversified fabric mills with a capacity of 1000 tons/month to knit, dye and finish all types of knitted fabrics such as cottons, cotton blends, polyester, polyester blends, viscose and micro modals. It also has the capability of in-house printing with 16 colour printing machines, fabric brushing machines and sueding machines. Today, it has grown into a large organisation with the total investment in the region of US$ 200 million and production capacity up to 250,000Kg per week and annual turnover in excess of US$ 61 million.