INSIDE ASIA'S FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL APPAREL FACTORY

Have you ever wondered what a "green factory" is, and if such a thing even exists? As the demand for sustainable products has risen, so too has the demand for eco-friendly factories to produce these products.

Hirdaramani has been a leader in this field since before the sustainability revolution began. It was 2008 when Hirdaramani Group dedicated US$6.3 million to set up 'Mihila' the first carbon neutral apparel factory in Asia.

The factory focuses on three key areas - energy consumption, water consumption and waste generation, and to date has achieved a 48% reduction in its carbon footprint. The results at Mihila speak for themselves:

The innovative approach at Mihila has given rise to several firsts at the factory. These include the first industrial scale production of 'upcycled fashion', the F&F brand for Tesco, the first factory to introduce LED task lights and one of the first to have a biodiversity refuge on its premises.

As a result of Hirdaramani Group's investment, 'Mihila' has received several international awards such as a Leed (Leader in Energy and Environmental Development, a rating system developed by the US Green Building Council) Gold Award in 2008 and a National Energy Efficiency Award in 2010, ISO 14001: 2004 and OHSAS 18001: 2007.