Sri Lankan apparel giant to build ‘Green Plant’ in Marks & Spencer partnership

May 30, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lankan apparel Giant MAS Holdings is building a 'Green Plant' through its partnership with UK's Marks & Spencer, to reduce waste and be environmentally friendly. The firm says it is developing a bio degradable packaging and card board hangers and has been sourcing part of its organic cotton supplies for sampling from Arvind Mills through the Fair Trade route. The factory would be built at MAS Fabric Park in Thulhiriya and is scheduled to be completed in 2008, the company said in a statement.

The buildings would be on stilts and would use vegetation to keep cool, harvest rainwater and solar energy, and use natural light to illuminate the factory floor and low-energy air-conditioning through water evaporation systems.

The process begins with an by a local and international team guided by a non-governmental organization active in environmental management.

"The process has already commenced in select factories and key supply chain partner facilities," MAS said.

Early this year, M&S announced a £200 million initiative with customers and suppliers to make M&S carbon-neutral by 2012 and promoting ethical trading to combat climate change, reduce w