A Way Forward to the Global Market with Indigenous Values and Sustainability: A Case from Sri Lankan Indigenous Apparel Sector

While sustainability has become an indispensable concern around the world, the modern society is progressively embracing the artisan values and craft values that are coupled with indigenous knowledge and ideals. On such backdrop, an agesold indigenous apparel sector in Sri Lanka, which is known as handloom, is also having a collection of precious values to offer to the world. In that setting, the aim of this study is to explore how Sri Lankan indigenous apparel sector can open global doors using their sustainable business practices inspired through indigenous values considering a holistic single case. Accordingly, this study adopts a qualitative inquiry with an in-depth interview technique to explore the business values, practices, strategies and the vision of one and only Fair-trade certified handloom manufacturing organization in Sri Lanka. Data gathered through the semi-structured interview conducted with the owner of the selected case organization were analyzed using the thematic analysis method, in favour of the theoretical lens used in the study i.e., Institutional Theory. Thus, the study unfolds that internationally successful company uses its indigenous knowledge and traditional practices creatively and innovatively not being limited to the existing normative and cognitive cultural boundaries. Yet, the regulative pillar should be stronger as there are unethical conducts behind the veil of their success reflecting green-washing attempts. Thus, this study fills existing gaps in the literature due to lack of studies done in Sri Lankan handloom sector addressing its international accessibility. Further, it contributes to uplift the national economy, local entrepreneurship, wellbeing of the industry and empowerment of rural people engaged with the industry.