Blog

Chinese circular economy

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?

One relevant episode

We believe, that China, with 20% of world population and as the second world economy, is impacting every single business, small to big. That is why it is a new paradigm. How does China impact your business is the ultimate question we will answer through those podcasts.

China paradigm is a China business podcast sponsored by Daxue Consulting where we interview successful entrepreneurs about their businesses in China. You can access all available episodes from the China paradigm Youtube page.