Hirdaramani Group

In 2012 Hirdaramani Group because the first CarbonNeutral® manufacturer in Asia, working with Natural Capital Partners' partner in Sri Lanka, The Carbon Consulting Company.

It's Mihila factory in Agalawatte, Sri Lanka was the first custom-built eco-friendly factory in the world. The global business, which was founded in the early 1900s, is a champion for "transformation in the apparel industry".

Sustainability is an inherent element in our culture, it informs every choice we make as a business & manufacturer. Mihila was commissioned as the world’s first custom-built “green” apparel factory, and our decision in 2012 to go further by becoming a CarbonNeutral® factory was guided by our desire to set the tone for doing business in a manner that is environmentally positive.
Chamara de Silva, General Manager of Hirdaramani Knit - Agalawatta

Define

Hirdaramani Group’s Mihila factory has been a CarbonNeutral® manufacturer since 2012.

The CarbonNeutral Protocol defines the emissions that must be measured to become a CarbonNeutral manufacturer as: emissions from owned, leased or directly controlled equipment; emissions from electricity, heating, cooling and waste; and emissions from third-party transportation and storage of production related goods.

Measure

Hirdaramani Group's programme is delivered by The Carbon Consulting Company, based in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The Carbon Consulting Company contracted the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions to an independent third-party. This included helping to gather the data, for example on the energy and waste from the factory.

Target

Having built its flagship Mihila eco-factory, Hirdaramani Group wanted to demonstrate its on-going commitment to reduce all the remaining unavoidable emissions.

It set a target for the factory to become a CarbonNeutral® manufacturer in 2012 which it has maintained ever since.

Reduce

The factory’s CarbonNeutral® manufacturer status was achieved in 2012 through:

Efficiency measures in the factory to deliver a 48% reduction on emissions within the building, versus similar factories.
On-site renewable electricity generation of 22,000 kWh per year plus substantial investments in the renewable energy sector in other locations
External emission reduction projects - financing emission reduction projects including small-scale hydroelectric power projects in Ratnapura and Kandy in Sri Lanka.

Communicate

For Hirdaramani Group, sustainability is an essential part of its brand and the way it runs its business: 'An urgent need and heartfelt commitment to respect our precious planet while empowering our people and communities to live a healthy and fulfilling life.'

Hirdaramani's CarbonNeutral® manufacturer certification at Mihila factory is communicated widely to customers to support the facility's eco-credentials.

For instance, when Patagonia visited the factory it was an opportunity to demonstrate how both organisations are strongly committed to sustainable manufacturing and tackling climate change.

Staff from Patagonia - one of Hirdaramani Group’s clients - visit the Mihila factory.