#WhoMadeMyClothes Using Ocean Plastic?
Plastic waste accumulating in the world’s oceans and beaches is reaching epidemic proportions; it is now a global crisis. Billions of kilos of plastic are swirling around in our oceans and have formed ‘islands of plastic’ covering about 40% of the world’s ocean surface, the most popular of which is the great Pacific garbage patch. If this trend continues at the present rate, global environmental organisations estimate that plastic will outweigh all the fish in the sea by 2050.
According to international reports and publications, Sri Lanka is the 5th largest ocean plastic polluter in the world after China, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. Clearly, a small country like ours ranked so high on this list means that we have a problem and one which we need to tackle. The main way to do this is to change mindsets about the use of plastics. Once people become more aware of the problem, they’re likely to refuse plastic where possible; particularly single-use plastics.
At MAS, we have been on the journey of sustainability for over a decade. We have implemented and committed to renewables, reduced our carbon footprint, reduced usage and wastage of water and introduced water recycling systems. We also conduct conservation onsite and offsite, while engaging in other sustainable practices, both environmental and social. In fact, we have developed a clear sustainability strategy and roadmap all the way up to 2025 and we are implementing this at scale with the support of employee volunteers.
Vishuddhika Wijesundara, an Accounts Executive at MAS Kreeda is one such volunteer. Having a role unrelated to the actual manufacturing of garments, she still played a direct part in the manufacturing of garments by volunteering for our series of beach clean-ups in 2018. The plastic problem in Sri Lanka is massive and it is adversely affecting our pristine beaches and marine habitats. This is why, we at MAS, have taken it upon ourselves to do our part by cleaning our beaches and recycling the collected plastic waste into usable products including recycled polyester yarn, used in the manufacture of apparel.
In total, this effort was supported by over 1,500 volunteers from MAS who only received the satisfaction of knowing that they have done their part to create a better world for all of us. Our series of Coastal Cleanup initiatives in 2018 covered 13 locations and 25 km of coastline, recovering a whopping 2,000 kg of plastic waste.
The collected plastic waste was delivered to Beira Group, a company with which we have a long and mutually beneficial relationship. They recycle waste plastic into products that are of commercial value including polyester yarn, which we then use to manufacture apparel. To further help combat the waste plastic crisis in Sri Lanka, MAS is also in the process of rolling out a policy to phase out the usage of single-use plastics by encouraging our employees to use reusable containers, refuse plastic straws, say no to plastic bags and avoid plastic utensils.
Discussing his participation in the MAS Coastal Cleanup initiative, Piyal Ariyananda, General Manager — Product Innovation at Bodyline stated, “MAS is an organization that has been built on strong values such as trust, mutual respect and a culture that promotes strong business ethics. I am proud and grateful that opportunities such as this have been created for us so that we can genuinely contribute towards creating a better world for all. We are all especially inspired and motivated by our collective social and environmental strategy for 2025 which pushes us all to be more responsible.”
MAS’ social and environmental strategy for 2025 intends to make our products and lives better through innovation and industry transforming partnerships.
Our people, of their own accord, have been the key drivers behind the progress we have made towards achieving our 2025 goals. They have contributed with innovative new solutions to reduce waste and reuse and recycle resources. Most notably, MAS has exceeded its targets for 2017 and 2018 in terms of habitat restoration, renewable energy consumption, waste management and chemical consumption.
At MAS, we understand that ethical practices, both social and environmental, motivate employees to do better while materially contributing to social progress and a better, more just world for all. Our ethically manufactured products are the result of voluntary efforts and innovative solutions driven by our people at all levels across the value stream, far beyond the sewing machine. This is why we are different; it’s why we are always striving to be the best we can be.
