Ep 116: Contributing to the Chinese circular economy

China Paradigms

Matthieu David interviews Vincent Djen, Director of Cheng Kung Garments and CEO of REMAKEHUB. The textile industry has consistently been a labor-intensive industry. In this episode, we explore what the future hold for the garment industry and how a circular economy fits into that. Are Chinese consumers already requesting fashion products made from recycled materials? Can textile factories be digitalized yet or is there still a long way to go before that happens? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this new China Paradigm interview. 0:00 Guest introduction 5:59 How did the current outbreak affect the garment industry? 7:51 Is the winter collection delayed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak? 8:17 The story behind Cheng Kung Garments 10:31 How and why did Vincent Djen decide to take over the family business? 13:28 Cheng Kung Garments - the current size of business 14:27 What are the highs and lows of a season in the garment industry? 17:05 How much of Cheng Kung Garments' production is in-house and how much is outsourced? 20:53 Is China still the best place for the textile industry? 24:31 Why is the textile industry still so labor intensive? 26:39 What are the costs of using robotics for manufacturing instead of people? 28:56 What are the initial costs for entrepreneurs who would want to get into the textile industry? 33:01 Is there support from the Chinese government to make factories more innovative? 37:03 How is 3D printing helping the textile industry? 41:09 How does Recycling fit into the day to day activities of the Cheng Kung Garments factory? 44:06 Mechanical vs Chemical Recycling - how many times can a product be recycled? 46:42 REMAKEHUB - what and why have specific products been picked for recycling? 48:12 Why was adding traceability for waste products recycled by REMAKEHUB important? 49:42 REMAKEHUB - following the "Cradle to cradle" design concept 50:50 Do big fashion companies already use recycled products? 52:50 Is it easy to tell if a finished product is made from recycled materials or not? 54:03 Is recycling mandatory for companies or is it still an optional feature? 56:18 Are consumers already buying products because they come from recycled materials? 57:51 What are the challenges of creating a brand in the fashion industry? 1:00:26 What is Vincent Djen's greatest business goal? 1:01:28 What books have inspired Vincent Djen in his entrepreneurial journey? 1:02:43 What does Vincent Djen read to stay up to date with China? 1:05:24 What productivity tool does Vincent Djen use to run his business? 1:08:25 What unexpected business success or failure has Vincent Djen witnessed in China? Learn more about Cheng Kung Garments and REMAKEHUB: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cheng-kung-garments/about/ and http://www.remakehub.co/ Bridging Chinese suppliers, brands and consumers to make sustainability core product feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF7Q8pu7eno Listen & Subscribe: Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/china-paradigms-daxue Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/china-paradigms/id1450916630 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/78qDpsYgQXWrkPpJyZJLtx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2y6ixpQB1WIs6GMdUeoq4g?view_as=subscriber Website: https://chinaparadigm.com/ Thanks for listening! If you like what you hear, do us a favor and write a review on iTunes. What is China Paradigms Podcast? China Paradigms is the China Business Podcast for entrepreneurs and China watchers. Learn from business professionals in China on our China Paradigms.