MYGroup, a leading UK waste management and recycling company, has announced a groundbreaking sustainable textile production initiative in Sri Lanka. The project, led by the company’s ReFactory division, aims to revive cotton cultivation, support traditional textile artisans, and introduce eco-friendly fabric production and treatment methods. Additionally, MYGroup plans to establish a coastal recycling hub to combat ocean plastic pollution.

The initiative will be implemented across four Sri Lankan provinces - North West, North Central, Uva, and Eastern - and seeks to reintroduce cotton farming, a practice that has been largely absent from the country since the 1970s. MYGroup will employ regenerative agriculture techniques to enrich soil health, increase biodiversity, and ensure a chemical-free approach to cotton production. The project will also install solar-powered machinery for ginning and spinning cotton on-site, decentralising the textile supply chain and supporting rural economies.

Collaborating with Fibershed Sri Lanka, a global non-profit focused on sustainable textile systems, MYGroup will work closely with artisan communities to preserve traditional textile skills such as natural dyeing, handloom weaving, and reed weaving. The initiative also involves research partnerships with Sri Lankan academic institutions to explore new methods of sustainable fabric treatment and production.

In addition to textiles, MYGroup is establishing a materials recycling hub in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka’s Southern Province, to address the country’s significant ocean plastic waste problem. The facility will process collected plastic into artisanal products using injection moulding technology, creating employment opportunities while reducing environmental impact.

Steve Carrie, Group Director of MYGroup, stated: “As the seeds are planted - both literally and figuratively - on our Sri Lanka project, MYGroup is forging a new path for planet-friendly textile production that supports skilled artisans, particularly women, while preserving the rich cultural heritage of this wonderful country.”

The initiative aligns with MYGroup’s commitment to the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)’s Textiles 2030 voluntary agreement, which promotes sustainability in the textile industry. It also supports the company’s broader goal of reducing the environmental impact of global textile production and advancing circularity within the industry.

www.mygroupltd.com