Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel

What Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel does

Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel (SLITA) is a government statutory institute established on July 1, 2009 under Parliament Act No. 12 of 2009, operating as a Non-State Higher Education Institution under the Universities Act No. 16 of 1978 and overseen by Sri Lanka's Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development. The institute serves secondary school leavers, industry professionals, and apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka and select international markets, offering a full academic ladder from short courses and certificates through national diplomas, higher national diplomas, and affiliated bachelor's degrees (including a B.Sc. Fashion Design in partnership with Lovely Professional University, India). SLITA also operates a UNDP/UNIDO-assisted testing laboratory, technical consultancy services, NVQ-aligned certification through the Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission, and regional Batik training centers across Sri Lanka, supporting the country's textile and apparel industry which provides over 350,000 direct jobs.

The institute's core technology stack comprises industry-standard CAD systems — Gerber 2D, Lectra 2D, and Optitex 2D and 3D — for pattern design, grading, and marker making, alongside a standard Learning Management System, Student Portal, and online Certificate Verification service. It is currently pursuing Degree Awarding Status from the Ministry of Higher Education following a final site inspection in June 2025. Headcount stands at approximately 45 employees with headquarters in Ratmalana, Sri Lanka.

SLITA's revenue model is not publicly disclosed but is understood to combine government appropriations, tuition fees across its multi-level programmes, fees from testing and certification services, consultancy income, and special projects for ministries and industry bodies such as JAAF and the SME Chamber. Pricing is not publicly listed; prospective students are directed to apply directly. Customer segments are horizontally split between individual learners (primary) and garment factories/apparel companies (secondary), with distribution channels including direct on-campus enrollment, regional centers, and affiliated international university partnerships.

Name

Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel

Legal name

Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel

Website

https://slita.lk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SLITA is a Sri Lankan government statutory institute offering certificate-to-degree programmes in textile and apparel technology, plus testing, consultancy, and certification services, serving students, industry professionals, and garment manufacturers primarily in Sri Lanka.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile & Apparel Education

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAGANAN

Industry-Specific Technical & Certification Prep (e.g., Construction, Manufacturing, Energy)

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Professional Development & Training Materials

Keywords

• Textile education
• Apparel training
• Vocational programs
• Fashion design courses
• Textile testing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ratmalana

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SLITA is a government-established statutory institute that delivers textile and apparel education from certificate through degree level, alongside professional services including laboratory testing, technical consultancy, corporate training, special projects, and certification (NVQ recognition). It operates a campus at Ratmalana with regional training centers and affiliations with international universities such as Lovely Professional University (India), NC State University, and Bunka Fashion College (Japan).

Product overview

SLITA is a Non-State Higher Education Institution under the Universities Act, established on July 1, 2009 by amalgamating the Textile Training & Services Centre (TT&SC) and Clothing Industry Training Institute (CITI). The institution offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational programmes ranging from certificate courses to degree programmes, alongside professional services including training, testing, consultancy, special projects, technical services, and certification. The Technological Division encompasses six specialized areas: Textile Technology, Testing & Quality Assurance Technology, Product Development Technology, Engineering & ICT Technology, Leather & Footwear Technology, and Clothing Technology. SLITA provides both full-time and part-time study options across multiple delivery formats including Sundays and Saturdays for working professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• B.Sc. in Textile and Apparel Studies

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Design Centre (NDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 August 2025SLITA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Design Centre to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions for the development of textile and apparel industry professionals.
• Best Pacific Textile Lanka (BPTL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022MoU signed to strengthen industrial relationship. SLITA conducted two special training programs for BPTL employees to enhance industry skills.
• Lovely Professional University (LPU) - IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerB.Sc. Fashion Design degree program is affiliated with LPU India. University representatives visited SLITA to strengthen the partnership.
• Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCareer Guidance Programme organized with Commercial Bank for students on banking products and digital banking services.
• Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKOICA and SLITA jointly organized an awareness programme on volunteer opportunities in Korea in Textile sector.
• Manchester Metropolitan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistinguished scholars from Manchester Metropolitan University (Dr. Rachelle Viader Knowles) visited SLITA for 'Exploring Future Pathways in Fashion Design' session.
• National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) and ILOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficials from NEDA and ILO visited SLITA to engage in discussions about enterprise development in textile and apparel sector.
• Solidaridad Network AsiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetherlands-based INGO visited SLITA to discuss textile sustainability initiatives.
• Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTVEC collaborated with SLITA to celebrate landmark in vocational education. Diploma in Clothing Technology recognized with NVQ Level 5 Equivalence (2010-2025).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Bunka Fashion College: Bunka is Japan's most established fashion education institution; SLITA is already an affiliate partner. Comparable in curriculum focus on fashion design and pattern making, but operates in a different geography and serves a more developed market.
• Institute of Technical Education (ITE) Singapore: ITE is a public vocational education institution in Singapore offering technical and skills-based training including apparel and textile-related fields. Comparable as a government technical/vocational institute model serving industry workforce development, though broader in scope than textile-only.

Broad incumbents

• Manchester Metropolitan University: Manchester Met is a UK university with a strong fashion and textile department; SLITA is already a partner. Comparable in curriculum focus, but is a much broader general university with a fashion/textile faculty as one of many disciplines.
• NC State University Wilson College of Textiles: NC State's Wilson College of Textiles is a globally recognized textile research and education institution; SLITA is already an affiliate partner. Comparable in textile technology focus, but operates as a major US research university with broader scope.
• Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT): FIT is a leading public US college specializing in fashion, textile, and apparel education. Comparable as a specialized textile/fashion education institution, but much larger, in a different geography, and offers a broader program portfolio.

Direct peers

• National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT): NIFT is India's premier public fashion and textile education institute with multiple campuses offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Most directly comparable peer as a government-established fashion/textile education institution in South Asia serving a similar apparel manufacturing workforce.
• Pakistan Institute of Fashion & Design (PIFD): PIFD is Pakistan's public-sector fashion and design institute offering degree programs in textile, fashion, and apparel. Directly comparable as a South Asian government-established institute serving a major textile manufacturing sector.
• Bangladesh University of Textiles (BUT): BUT is Bangladesh's leading public university specializing in textile engineering, fashion design, and apparel manufacturing education. Closely comparable as a South Asian public textile education institution serving a large apparel manufacturing workforce.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/slitalk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMw9G7d_qfhwRtGRSsrSGEg/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/eduslita
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sri-lanka-institute-of-textile-and-apparel

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel