“The Fair Trade and Organic certifications are an important development for Brandix Textiles,” Brandix Director Feroz Omar said in a statement.

“They take the company to the next level in supplying very discerning niche customers and are also a valuable third party affirmation of the commitment of the company to good social practices.”

At an audit conducted by IMO, Brandix Textiles achieved a performance rating of 214, well above the certification minimum of 172.

The company said labour rights, working conditions, administration of the Fairtrade premium and accountability as a trade partner figured in the examination.

Producers in the program get a "Fairtrade Premium' which is invested in social, economic or environmental improvement projects.

At the point of retail, the cost of garments certified as being manufactured by a Fairtrade certified company will be higher to cover the producers’ cost of sustainable production.

The premium that will be used for the upliftment of the disadvantaged employees and society in general, Paul Paramban, Manager – Technical at Brandix Textiles said.

Brandix Textiles says its mill in Makandura in the Wayamba province is the largest fabric processor in the island employing 800 people and producing 3.5 million yards of fabric a month in 400 types.

Grey cloth is imported from Pakistan, Indonesia, India and China. About 40 per cent of its output is supplied to apparel manufacturing plants of the Brandix Group, while the rest is supplied to other apparel manufacturers and is also exported to Bangladesh and India.

The firm said the latest certification will take it a step closer to getting compliance under Global Organic Textile Standard or GOTS.

The GOTS certification is a top global certification for organic textiles and covers the production, processing, manufacturing, packaging, labelling, export, import and distribution of all natural fibres.

Similarly, organic certified fabric can cost higher to produce, but customers like NEXT, Marks & Spencer, Nike, Woolworth, H&M, Target and Wal-Mart are already supporting this global organic initiative for environment compliance.

Brandix is the country’s largest apparel exporter with a consolidated annual turnover of over 320 million US dollars.

It works with brands such as Gap, Marks & Spencer, Victoria’s Secret, NEXT and Abercrombie & Fitch.

It produces casual bottoms, intimate and active wear, textiles, knitted fabrics, sewing and embroidery thread, accessories and hangers, and offers wet processing and finishing and fabric printing.