By Sarah Hannan
State Minister for Batik, Handloom, and Local Apparel Products Dayasiri Jayasekara yesterday (25) announced the Ministry's plans to launch special sales promotions to attract local consumers to purchase the products on offer. The Minister made this announcement during his visit to the Laksala showroom at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, last evening.
Speaking to The Morning, Jayasekara noted: “Given the current economic conditions created by the global pandemic owing to Covid-19, the country needs to look at promoting locally produced, textile, gift items, and arts and crafts to our own people.
“While Laksala is known to attract foreign consumers during their visits to Sri Lanka, this time around, the outlet has not been able to earn its projected revenue through that channel. Therefore, we are looking to launch several sales promotions in the coming weeks, to attract the local consumer.”
He also stated that steps are underway to present a cabinet paper that will instruct state institution staff to wear batik or handloom clothing at least once a week to their office premises, as a means to support and promote local craftsmanship to patronage locally produced apparel.
“We are looking at bilateral discussions with countries from which we source yarn, pigment, and dyes that are used for manufacturing batiks and handloom products in Sri Lanka, so that the products can be sold at a very nominal rate.
“Not only apparel; there are other byproducts that can be crafted using batik and handloom material. There are also discussions on exporting such products to interested international buyers,” Jayasekara stated.
Laksala is the only state-owned gift and souvenir boutique, and was established under the National Crafts Council and Allied Institutions Act No. 35 of 1982.
State Minister for Batik, Handloom, and Local Apparel Products Dayasiri Jayasekara yesterday (25) announced the Ministry's plans to launch special sales promotions to attract local consumers to purchase the products on offer. The Minister made this announcement during his visit to the Laksala showroom at Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7, last evening.
Speaking to The Morning, Jayasekara noted: “Given the current economic conditions created by the global pandemic owing to Covid-19, the country needs to look at promoting locally produced, textile, gift items, and arts and crafts to our own people.
“While Laksala is known to attract foreign consumers during their visits to Sri Lanka, this time around, the outlet has not been able to earn its projected revenue through that channel. Therefore, we are looking to launch several sales promotions in the coming weeks, to attract the local consumer.”
He also stated that steps are underway to present a cabinet paper that will instruct state institution staff to wear batik or handloom clothing at least once a week to their office premises, as a means to support and promote local craftsmanship to patronage locally produced apparel.
“We are looking at bilateral discussions with countries from which we source yarn, pigment, and dyes that are used for manufacturing batiks and handloom products in Sri Lanka, so that the products can be sold at a very nominal rate.
“Not only apparel; there are other byproducts that can be crafted using batik and handloom material. There are also discussions on exporting such products to interested international buyers,” Jayasekara stated.
Laksala is the only state-owned gift and souvenir boutique, and was established under the National Crafts Council and Allied Institutions Act No. 35 of 1982.