Sri Lanka's Export Development Board is expanding its Creative Sri Lanka 2030 programme in an effort to turn traditional craft and creative-industry businesses into globally competitive Sri Lankan brands.
The programme brings together exporters, small and medium-sized enterprises, artisans, designers, academic institutions and government organisations.
According to the EDB, the expanded phase will operate through a private-sector-led Umbrella Model.
Ten selected leading brands will serve as umbrella organisations around which smaller businesses and specialist suppliers can be developed.
The programme covers areas including giftware, handicrafts and lifestyle products and is intended to connect Sri Lanka's traditional skills in materials such as clay, wood, fibre, metal and textiles with contemporary design and international markets.
The current phase builds on an earlier pilot programme supported by the European Union and British Council.
The EDB says five Sri Lankan brands involved in that first phase were connected with international designers, contributing to export orders from markets including Germany, Denmark and the United Kingdom.
Under the expanded programme, the EDB plans to cluster approximately 40 to 50 SMEs as support suppliers around the 10 selected umbrella brands.
A further group of SMEs is expected to be developed as second-tier manufacturers.
The programme will include design development, capacity building, structured training, international market development and links with foreign buyers.
Participating exporters are also expected to receive opportunities to attend international trade fairs, including the Ambiente Gifts exhibition in Frankfurt in early 2027.
The EDB says the programme aims to increase export revenue from Sri Lanka's creative industries by 10% by 2028-2029 and create additional employment opportunities.
That figure is a programme target, not an export increase that has already been achieved.
Creative Sri Lanka 2030 also sits within Sri Lanka's wider National Export Development Plan for 2026-2030, which targets US$36 billion in total exports by 2030.
Again, the US$36 billion figure is a national target rather than current export revenue.
The expanded programme therefore represents an attempt to move Sri Lankan craft and creative businesses from small-scale or fragmented production towards coordinated brand development and international commercial markets.
Whether the programme achieves its revenue, employment and brand-development targets will depend on implementation and subsequent export performance.