Sri Lanka will host Cascale Forum, bringing together more than 500 global apparel manufactures, brands, retailers, non-governmental agencies and policymakers to Colombo from March 30 to April 01 on theme of building a fairer more resilient supply chain, organizers said.
“At Cascale Forum: Colombo, we are bringing the value chain together to work intentionally on the systems, relationships, and practices that accelerate measurable progress on climate and decent work,” said Harsh Saini, interim CEO, Cascale, formerly Sustainable Apparel Coalition.
“This is a space for shared learning — and shared responsibility.” In 2025, the forum was held in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Sri Lanka represents an important region in the global apparel supply chain, Cascale said.
Its manufacturers have earned a reputation for high environmental and social standards, energy-efficient operations, and early adoption of sustainability tools such as the Higg Index.
The textile and apparel export sector accounts for nearly 50 percent of Sri Lanka’s exports and represents six percent of its GDP. The Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF), which represents Sri Lanka’s textile and apparel export sector, backing the forum in Sri Lanka.
“Sri Lanka has long played an important role in advancing responsible manufacturing,” JAAF Chairman Saifuddin Jafferjee, said in a statement.
“Cascale Forum: Colombo provides a valuable platform to share regional experience, strengthen collaboration across the value chain, and contribute practical insights that support a fairer, more resilient industry.”
Sri Lanka offers real-world examples of responsible production – making it an ideal location for hands-on learning, cross-industry dialogue, and peer-to-peer capability building, Cascale said.
“To build a resilient supply chain, we need strong alignment between brands and suppliers,” said Cesar Hasibuan, responsible supply chain director, South Asia, Nike Inc said in the statement.
“This Forum will create space to understand each other’s challenges and design solutions that work in practice, not just on paper.”
Local organizations will provide context through factory tours, coordinated through the Cascale Forum: Colombo program, which allow participants to experience sustainability innovations, workforce practices, and environmental performance improvements firsthand.
“South Asia is known in the global apparel industry for combining innovation, quality, and responsible manufacturing,” Nikhil Hirdaramani, director, Hirdaramani group said.
