Sustainability

Our Vision 15/25 program sets out how MAS is tackling some of the most important environmental and social challenges of our time. We’ve made 15 promises for 2025 that will see us radically manage our own footprint, champion climate action and support a thriving planet, all in ways that put our people first and help our communities thrive.

Champion Climate Action

2025 Goal: We will generate more renewable energy than we use by 2025

47% of MAS currently runs on renewable energy. In 2017 we launched our climate action goals with one of the largest multi-site solar rooftop projects in South Asia. MAS Photon will see 27 MW of Solar PV installed on our rooftops across Sri Lanka. The project covers 2 million square feet, extending from Kilinochchi in the north to the southern tip of Koggala and will generate approximately 21,000 MWh of electricity annually.

Manage Our Footprint

2025 Goal: We will reduce our water intensities by 75%

Given how important water is to the fashion industry depends on water, we have been focused on the quality of our water and how we use and treat it at MAS for many years. Since 2011 we have reduced the liters of water used per kilogram of production by over 30%. We have also introduced more sustainable systems to treat our wastewater, from using wetland plants to treat industrial sewage to working on long-term solutions through our innovation pipeline. We also operate our own state of the art, in-house water treatment plant at the MAS Fabric Park in Thulhiriya which provides about 20% of our total needs.

2025 Goal: We will “eliminate” all our waste

We are committed to a number of exciting initiatives that will reduce, repurpose or recycle waste by 2025.

These initiatives include:

Zero Waste to Landfill certification in 2017, MAS Fabrics – MATRIX became the first manufacturer to earn the prestigious certification in the sphere of textile, footwear and apparel sectors across the globe. We have also invested in our first Material Recovery Center in Biyagama to tackle landfilling at an industrial scale.

MAS Ocean Project

We are working closely with the Sri Lanka Navy to find a nationwide solution for the problem of plastic waste. The collaboration has paved the way for the Navy to begin recycling and collecting coastal plastic while commandeering and supporting MAS engineered coastal cleanup operations. We have also partnered with the Beira group as a responsible recycling partner in order to provide a closed-loop solution to plastic waste in Sri Lanka. Beira and MAS are now working with the SL Navy to set up multiple collection centers for PET Plastic and will collaborate further toward innovating products from Ocean Plastic.

Support a Thriving Planet

2025 Goal: we will protect biodiversity by restoring natural habitats in 100 times the space we occupy

We have launched a battle for biodiversity by initiating habitat restoration projects across 600 acres in Sri Lanka. Our goal is to replace natural habitats in 100 times the space we occupy – 25,000 acres by 2025. This is one of the most passionately followed goals across the group.

MAS Forest Gardens

Over the years we have grown award-winning herbal, organic and butterfly gardens inside our premises to inspire our people and promote biodiversity in and around our facilities. Our forest gardens have been created by local experts who bring deep expertise in organic and butterfly garden systems and share our passion for biodiversity. From the heavily industrial Biyagama Export Processing Zone to the arid conditions of the North, MAS Forest Gardens are an inspirational success that we continue to expand into new locations.

What We Do

Our innovation is focused on four areas: Knitting, Assembly, Color and Surface Functionalization.

What We Do