Eskimo Fashion Knitwear celebrates 40 years

Eskimo Fashion Knitwear (Pvt) Ltd recently marked its milestone 40^th anniversary recently, celebrating an ongoing journey of “leadership, passion to perform, innate resilience and innovation, confidently paving the way for a stronger future”, the company said in a media release.

Known for the manufacturing of export quality knitwear for international markets, the company’s journey began four decades ago when two German entrepreneurs visited Sri Lanka and were offered a compelling proposition of incentives to commence operations.

Eskimo Fashion broke ground in 1982, constructing its initial factory in Kadirana North, Negombo, a fishing town by the sea. The company expanded from its roots of operating a small 200 employee plant, into accelerating and multiplying capacity over the years. Currently, Eskimo Fashion manages plants in the Pallekele Free Trade Zone and in Punanai, including the Negombo factory, employing over 2,000 staff. The first exports were made in the year 1983. Now in its 40^th year, the company is recognised as a major exporter serving France, Scandinavian countries, the UK and Germany, working with famous brands including Decathlon, C&A, Petit Bateau, Sterntaler and NEXT. Eskimo Fashion has scheduled further expansion for Punanai in 2023, driving additional long-term success.

Aligned to Eskimo’s vision of ensuring first class manufacturing operations, special emphasis is placed on adhering to compliance standards. The company conforms to globally recognised product certifications including the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, one of the world’s best-known labels for environmentally friendly and socially responsible production for the clothing and textile industry, Organic Content Standard, a special certification which confirms the presence of 100 per cent organic cotton in the final product, Global Organic Textile Standard, Responsible Wool Standard, Forest Stewardship Council, Sedex NBSEI certificate of compliance and ISO 14001. All garments produced by Eskimo Fashion comply with these standards, providing credible assurance of the safety of textile products at all stages of production.

Despite the challenges faced during the pandemic, the company made sure that full salaries were paid to employees throughout the year, delivered dry rations to quarantined employees and their families, and did not retrench staff. When the ongoing economic crisis hit the country in 2022, the company continued to extend support to all its employees by a second salary increment and a payment of a hardships allowance in the first half of year. In addition, since June 2022, on a monthly basis, the company has also been providing dry rations to all the employees including contracted out cleaning and security staff.

Taking a leaf from the company’s German heritage, waste is always separated, strict control of effluent from the dye house is maintained and solar panel installation at the Negombo factory has been completed in 2021. It plans to install solar panels at the two remaining factories in Pallekele and Punanai in the future.