Legend has it that when a rebel prince landed in Sri Lanka in 543 BC, he fell in love with the Queen of the Yakkas (demons), Kuveni, as she sat weaving cotton yarn at a spinning wheel. From then till now this tear drop nation has emerged as a leading textile player with apparel export a key sector contributing to its economy. Today, for a pandemic-ravaged world as also this island nation, these are the worst of times, but not without the spring of hope. texfash takes a three-sixty-degree look at what plagues the industry and the road ahead as the importance of the apparel manufacturing sector becomes paramount.