Business
First Iso 14065 Certification awarded to leading upcycling brand House of Lonali
House of Lonali, the pioneering upcycling brand from Sri Lanka specialising in transforming textile and paper waste into uniquely inventive items, has earned Sri Lanka’s first ISO 14065 Certification for their commitment to sustainability. The creative reuse efforts of the business were independently verified and certified by The Sustainable Future Group (SFG) – South Asia’s first Validation and Verification Body (VVB) to be accredited to award ISO 14065:2020 Certification by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
House of Lonali retained the expert services of The Climate and Conservation Consortium (CCC) to estimate the amount of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions avoided over 31 years through upcycling pre-consumer fabric waste and recycled paper waste into products instead of using virgin raw material and circumventing standard disposal methods of landfilling and incineration. The emissions savings were calculated as per the requirements for Solid Waste Disposal and Incineration and Open Burning of Waste of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. Following the assessment, the results were then verified in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17029:2019 and ISO 14065:2020 Standards by SFG – which was also South Asia’s first VVB to be accredited to award ISO 14064-1 & 2 for Organisational and Project-level GHG Reporting and ISO 14067 for Product Carbon Footprinting – through IAF Country Member, The Sri Lanka Accreditation Board.
House of Lonali Receiving the ISO 14065 Certificate [from left] Harshini Rananjali, Lead Associate – Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services, SFG; Sajeewa Ranasinghe, Manager – Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services, SFG; Lonali Rodrigo, Founder/CEO, House of Lonali; Sanith De Silva Wijeyeratne, CEO, CCC.
Founded in 2012 by ecopreneur Lonali Rodrigo, winner of numerous awards including ‘Ethical Fashion Award’ at the Sri Lanka Design Festival and ‘Sustainable Designer Award’ at the Sri Lanka Apparel and Fashion Awards, House of Lonali designs and crafts creative pieces using mainly fabric waste recovered from apparel manufacturers. With a strong focus on ‘circular design’ at the core of its upcycling-based model, the business strives to generate as little waste as possible from its own production process by ensuring that every single resource is reused, repurposed, and/or remanufactured.
Commenting on their achievement, Founder/CEO of House of Lonali, Lonali Rodrigo stated, “House of Lonali is a conscious lifestyle brand with a big bold vision – “to design a better future”. We are passionate about creating uncompromising fashion and style keeping both people and the planet at heart. It became critical that we should measure our impact in the upcycling process, and by working with The Climate and Conservation Consortium and The Sustainable Future Group, we managed to obtain the ISO 14065 Certification, and this will help amplify our upcycling efforts as it provides proof of our impact. We believe there is unique beauty in every waste item and every flaw, and the little choices we make over time have the potential to change the future for the better.”
The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) proudly facilitated the first-ever Sri Lankan delegation’s participation at Drupa 2024, the world’s largest trade fair for the printing industry and technology. Held after an eight-year hiatus, Drupa 2024 was a landmark event, marking significant advancements and opportunities in the global printing industry.
AHK Sri Lanka played a pivotal role in organising and supporting the delegation, which comprised 17 members from the Sri Lanka Association for Printers (SLAP), representing eight companies from the commercial, newspaper, stationery printing, and packaging industries. This pioneering effort by AHK Sri Lanka not only showcased the diverse capabilities of Sri Lanka’s printing sector but also facilitated vital bilateral discussions with key stakeholders from the German printing industry.
Business
Unveiling Ayugiri: Browns Hotels & Resorts sets the stage for a new era in luxury Ayurveda Wellness
In a captivating reimagining of luxury wellness tourism, Browns Hotels & Resorts proudly unveiled the exquisite Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya. This momentous occasion, celebrated amidst a vibrant and serene grand opening on the 6th of June, heralds a new chapter in the Ayurveda wellness tourism landscape in Sri Lanka. Nestled amidst 54 acres of unspoiled natural splendour, Ayugiri features 22 exclusive suites and stands out as the only luxury Ayurveda wellness resort in the country offering plunge pools in every room, rendering it truly one-of-a-kind.
The grand opening of Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort was an enchanting event, where guests were captivated by the melodies of flutists and violinists resonating through Sigiriya’s lush landscapes. As traditional drummers and dancers infused the air with vibrant energy, Browns Hotels & Resorts’ CEO, Eksath Wijeratne, Kotaro Katsuki, Acting Ambassador for the Embassy of Japan and General Manager, Buwaneka Bandara, unveiled the resort’s new logo, marking a significant moment witnessed by distinguished guests from the French Embassy, Ayurveda and wellness enthusiasts along with officials from the Sigiriya area, LOLC Holdings and Browns Group.
“Our strategic expansion into wellness tourism with Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya symbolises a significant milestone for Browns Hotels & Resorts. Wellness tourism has consistently outperformed the overall tourism industry for over a decade, reflecting a growing global interest in travel that goes beyond leisure to offer rejuvenation and holistic well-being. By integrating the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda with modern luxury, we aim to set a new standard in luxury wellness tourism in Sri Lanka. Whether your goal is prevention, healing, or a deeper connection to inner harmony, Ayugiri offers a sanctuary for holistic well-being” stated Eksath Wijeratne.
Ayugiri encapsulates the essence of life, inspired by the lotus flower held by the graceful queens of the infamous Sigiriya frescoes. Just as the lotus emerges from the murky depths, untainted and serene,
Ayugiri invites guests on a journey of purity and rejuvenation, harmonised with a balance of mind, body and spirit, the essence of nature, echoes of culture and the wisdom of ancient Ayurvedic healing.
HNB General Insurance, one of Sri Lanka’s leading general insurance providers, has been honored as the Best General Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka 2024 by the prestigious Global Banking and Finance Review – UK.
The esteemed accolade underscores HNB General Insurance’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its outstanding performance in the field of bancassurance. Through dedication and hard work, the HNB General Insurance team has continuously endeavored to deliver innovative insurance solutions, cultivate strong relationships with banking partners, and provide unparalleled service to customers nationwide. This recognition is a testament to the team’s dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence in the bancassurance business.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which reflects our team’s tireless efforts and dedication to delivering value-added insurance solutions and exceptional service through our bancassurance partnerships,” said Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNB General Insurance. “This recognition reaffirms our position as a trusted insurance provider in Sri Lanka and motivates us to continue striving for excellence in serving our customers and communities.”
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