Selyn

Selyn is Sri Lanka’s only fair trade guaranteed handloom company, and its Fife Road store is the place to buy its brilliantly coloured woven cotton in Colombo. Why it matters: founded in 1991 by Sandra Wanduragala with 15 women in a village near Kurunegala, Selyn now supports around 1,000 rural artisans – most of them women weaving from home or in village workshops – on fair trade terms. The handmade cotton toys are the sleeper hit, alongside bags, sarongs, and home linens. Tip: it opens Sunday mornings too, handy for last-minute gifts before a flight.