In celebration of International Handloom Day on 7 August, Selyn will be celebrating a week filled with activities and premium offers online and at their Fife Road Flagship Store in Colombo 5.
Dating back 2,500 years, the tradition of the loom takes its roots at the very inception of Sri Lankan history. Today, the industry faces decline due to reasons ranging from an ageing labour force, lack of skilled experience, and uncompetitive market prices, to outdated designs and lack of innovation and technology. Selyn takes on this challenge to revive our heritage and extend its benefits to our rural artisans.
Celebrating all things handloom, from the heritage of Sri Lanka to its local artisans, the importance of Handloom Week is to bring awareness to the local and international community about an artisanal skill that holds great pride and relevance in today’s world, including in the billion-dollar global fashion industry. “Handloom Week is initiated as an important event to highlight and bring awareness to a core sector in the craft industry of Sri Lanka and to also highlight its potential as a premium export from the country. This year is special for us as we celebrate 30 years as an organisation that has effectively contributed to the upliftment of the industry and has positively impacted the artisan community by committing to consistent work and sustainable livelihoods. In addition, we are pleased to have been recently awarded a prestigious grant which will enable us to propel the industry into the world with transparency and ethical practices at the core of it,” said Selyn Business Development Director and next-generation lead Selyna Peiris.
Apart from the activities and offers planned, which includes live sessions with Lonali Rodrigo and Vajira Peiris – two renowned Sri Lankan designers in their own right – Selyn will also use this week to conduct a series of discussions with global industry leaders on the future of the sector. The first discussion on 5 August at 7.30 p.m., hosted on Selyn’s Instagram as a live session, will be dedicated to discussing “Global Trends: From Craft and Heritage” with London-based Design Expert Rue Kothari, well known for connecting people and opportunities from east to west, along with University of Moratuwa Senior Lecturer on Design Ruwandika Senanayake. This conversation will be followed by another discussion on 7 August at 7.30 p.m. to discuss “Craft as the ‘Sustainable’ Solution, Model, and Area of 
Growth: An International Perspective from SAARC to the World” with Bangladeshi Ambassador to the Netherlands/former Ambassador to Sri Lanka and an advocate on craft and textiles from the SAARC region M. Riaz Hamidullah and Global Fashion Exchange Founder Patrick Duffy. Selyna Peiris of Selyn will join these conversations and this expert selection of panellists will use this opportunity to discuss the balance between scalability, sustainability, and conscious consumption. These conversations will be moderated by Institute of Future Creations Co-Founder Prof. Robert V. Meeder, who has a great understanding of the craft and the design world combined.
“I am honoured to practise and moderate a very timely discussion on heritage and craft both in Sri Lanka and abroad. We have some outstanding speakers that will share their insights but also shed light on the opportunities and obstacles along the way into really developing the craft sector for export,” said Prof. Meeder.
Visit Selyn Fife Road Colombo 5 from 2 to 7 August 2021 to participate and stay tuned to their social media pages.
Instagram: @selynfairtade
Website: www.selyn.lk
Dating back 2,500 years, the tradition of the loom takes its roots at the very inception of Sri Lankan history. Today, the industry faces decline due to reasons ranging from an ageing labour force, lack of skilled experience, and uncompetitive market prices, to outdated designs and lack of innovation and technology. Selyn takes on this challenge to revive our heritage and extend its benefits to our rural artisans.
Celebrating all things handloom, from the heritage of Sri Lanka to its local artisans, the importance of Handloom Week is to bring awareness to the local and international community about an artisanal skill that holds great pride and relevance in today’s world, including in the billion-dollar global fashion industry. “Handloom Week is initiated as an important event to highlight and bring awareness to a core sector in the craft industry of Sri Lanka and to also highlight its potential as a premium export from the country. This year is special for us as we celebrate 30 years as an organisation that has effectively contributed to the upliftment of the industry and has positively impacted the artisan community by committing to consistent work and sustainable livelihoods. In addition, we are pleased to have been recently awarded a prestigious grant which will enable us to propel the industry into the world with transparency and ethical practices at the core of it,” said Selyn Business Development Director and next-generation lead Selyna Peiris.
Apart from the activities and offers planned, which includes live sessions with Lonali Rodrigo and Vajira Peiris – two renowned Sri Lankan designers in their own right – Selyn will also use this week to conduct a series of discussions with global industry leaders on the future of the sector. The first discussion on 5 August at 7.30 p.m., hosted on Selyn’s Instagram as a live session, will be dedicated to discussing “Global Trends: From Craft and Heritage” with London-based Design Expert Rue Kothari, well known for connecting people and opportunities from east to west, along with University of Moratuwa Senior Lecturer on Design Ruwandika Senanayake. This conversation will be followed by another discussion on 7 August at 7.30 p.m. to discuss “Craft as the ‘Sustainable’ Solution, Model, and Area of Growth: An International Perspective from SAARC to the World” with Bangladeshi Ambassador to the Netherlands/former Ambassador to Sri Lanka and an advocate on craft and textiles from the SAARC region M. Riaz Hamidullah and Global Fashion Exchange Founder Patrick Duffy. Selyna Peiris of Selyn will join these conversations and this expert selection of panellists will use this opportunity to discuss the balance between scalability, sustainability, and conscious consumption. These conversations will be moderated by Institute of Future Creations Co-Founder Prof. Robert V. Meeder, who has a great understanding of the craft and the design world combined.
“I am honoured to practise and moderate a very timely discussion on heritage and craft both in Sri Lanka and abroad. We have some outstanding speakers that will share their insights but also shed light on the opportunities and obstacles along the way into really developing the craft sector for export,” said Prof. Meeder.
Visit Selyn Fife Road Colombo 5 from 2 to 7 August 2021 to participate and stay tuned to their social media pages.
Instagram: @selynfairtade
Website: www.selyn.lk