Lumiere Textiles begins production

Lumiere Textiles Limited, a $ 15 million BOI (Board of Investment) approved company for the production of knitted fabric in Sri Lanka commenced delivering fabrics to its first set of customers recently.

The garments made out of this fabric will reach the stores of a world-renowned retailer soon. The 95 percent cotton, five percent elastane 135 GSM single jersey fabric is one of the most needed fabrics for the production of intimate garments in Sri Lanka.

“Lumiere is one of the first textile mills in the country to be equipped with rotary printing capability from its commencement,” a spokesman for the company said.

It was a tough and challenging task for the start-up company to commence commercial production within one-and-a-half years of signing of the agreement with the BOI, Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director of the company, BandulaWeerasinghe said.

Lumiere has a production capacity to produce 10,000 kg (around 40,000m) of knitted fabric a day. The capacity will be increased to 20,000 kg (around 80,000m) a day, with the purchase of state-of-the-art machinery in the coming six months.

The infrastructure in place will enable Lumiere to increase its production capacity up to 40,000 kg a day within the next two years. Presently it manufactures cotton and cotton blends with value addition. Viscose and viscose blends will be added to its product portfolio within the next two months.

Lumiere’s official opening will be in May when the construction of buildings is completed. Meanwhile, the company will produce knitted fabric at its current capacity of 10,000 kg a day