The Korea Times | “Eco-friendly Clothes Can Be Beautiful Too” – CEO Haeun Choi of Greenest Challenges Stereotypes

- Graduated with Summa Cum Laude from FIT in New York, Haeun Choi designs eco-friendly clothing worn by celebrities.

-She has also expanded into cosmetics distribution, exporting to 14 countries.

There’s an eco-friendly clothing line gaining attention after being worn by Korean celebrities such as singer Jeong Dong-won, actress Chae Jung-an, and Ji Ye-eun. Surprisingly, the brand—called Greenest—is not backed by a major corporation or a famous designer, but by a three-person startup. At the heart of it all is 27-year-old CEO Choi Ha-eun, who oversees nearly every aspect of the business herself—from design and material sourcing to sales and branding.

Choi Ha-eun’s eco-friendly fashion brand Greenest is growing by breaking stereotypes. From “Young women in their 20s with no corporate or business background can’t succeed,” to “Sustainable clothing isn’t stylish,” and “You can’t run an international business alone”—Choi is proving them all wrong. She launched Greenest in 2022, during a harsh funding winter, and has since turned a profit, demonstrating sharp business acumen. We sat down with her at The Korea Times headquarters in Sejong-ro, Seoul, to hear about her bold and unconventional journey.

 

 

Graduated with Summa Cum Laude from FIT in New York

CEO Choi graduated at the top of her class in Fashion Business Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York—one of the most prestigious fashion schools in the world, alongside Parsons School of Design. Renowned designers like Calvin Klein and Michael Kors are among FIT's notable alumni. “I wanted to study fashion at the most recognized institution, so I chose to study abroad during college,” she said. “My parents run an academy, so I grew up enjoying studying. I’ve always loved working hard—so in my spare time, I learned seven languages and traveled to 23 countries.”

 

At just 25 years old, she founded her own brand in New York. From the start, her top priority was creating a positive impact. “While studying in college, I was shocked to learn that the fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions,” she said. “That’s when I decided I wanted to build a sustainable brand—one that doesn’t harm people, the planet, or animals.”

 

 

Through her brand, she set out to break the stereotype that eco-friendly clothing can’t be stylish. “When I looked into eco-friendly fashion in Korea, I noticed that many brands focused only on sustainability, often neglecting design,” she said. “There’s a common misconception that sustainability requires sacrificing beauty—but that’s just not true. Fashion must be beautiful. Without aesthetic appeal, it can’t reach the mainstream—and without that, it can’t be truly sustainable.”

 

 

Celebrity-loved designs, all created by her

Her journey as an entrepreneur can only be described as bold. Even when it comes to sourcing materials, she takes an aggressive, hands-on approach.

For her garments, she sources premium eco-friendly fabrics used by luxury brands like Hermès and Dolce & Gabbana—from Italy’s Canclini to Japan’s Shibaya, known for its natural dyeing techniques. “We use OEKO-TEX® certified fabrics, which are free from harmful chemicals, and RWS-certified wool, which comes from farms that practice animal welfare—using only naturally shed wool during molting season,” she explained.

 

 

But sourcing the same premium eco-friendly fabrics used by luxury brands was no easy feat. Domestic distributors of these imported materials flatly rejected requests from her fledgling startup. Undeterred, Choi reached out directly to fabric manufacturers overseas, including those in Italy. “I explained in detail why I needed sustainable materials and what my brand stood for,” she said. “Eventually, some of the global headquarters agreed—and now they ship the fabrics to me directly, bypassing local distributors.”

 

 

Instead of using cheap polyester buttons, she opts for natural alternatives like walnut shells, coconut shells, mother-of-pearl, and horn. Clothing tags are made from organic cotton, and shipping boxes are crafted from FSC-certified paper, sourced in accordance with sustainable forestry standards. She doesn’t use plastic garment bags either. Instead, each item is packaged in a small Tyvek pouch—a recyclable material that doesn’t release harmful substances when incinerated.

 

 

Naturally, the use of such premium materials drives up the price of her garments. “Sustainable fabrics can cost up to six times more than conventional ones,” she explained. “But the quality is much higher, so the clothes last longer—making them worth the investment.”

 

 

To date, Choi has personally designed more than 20 items, including shirts, pants, jackets, and skirts. Her signature style is timeless and minimalist, characterized by classic silhouettes and relaxed, generous sizing. “Classic designs might seem simple, but they offer an elegant, refined look that appeals to a wide range of age groups,” she said. “Even though the pieces are technically women’s wear, they don’t overly emphasize femininity—so men can wear them too. I only produce two sizes to reduce inventory, and the loose fit ensures versatility for different body types.”

 

 

To promote the brand, Choi sent her clothing to well-known influencers active on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, and opened a pop-up store in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong—a trendy hotspot for emerging fashion. “When influencers wear your clothes, the marketing impact is huge,” she said. “After that, celebrities—actors, singers, even comedians—started wearing them on TV, and word of mouth spread quickly.”

 

 

She also pioneered overseas exports.

Choi’s focus isn’t limited to domestic sales—exports make up a significant part of her business. To support this, she also expanded into cosmetics distribution, supplying beauty products to retailers in multiple countries. Her portfolio includes over 50 products from brands such as Esther Formula, Torhop, CEDAM, and Nudique. None of these are sold in Korea; they are exclusively for export.

 

 

Choi boldly carved her path into the global market. She cold-emailed international retailers she found through Google, eventually securing export deals in 14 countries—including the U.S., Australia, Italy, Thailand, Indonesia, the UAE, Iraq, South Africa, and Hong Kong, China. “I first convinced domestic cosmetics suppliers to let me carry their products,” she explained. “Then I built trust with overseas buyers by posting photos of neatly stocked products on Instagram—proof that I was ready to deliver.”

 

 

One notable aspect of her strategy is her firm high-price policy. “In cosmetics, once prices collapse, it’s hard to recover brand value,” she said. “That’s why we strictly monitor overseas pricing. If a distributor sells below the agreed price—even slightly—we immediately cut off supply.”

 

 

In fact, Choi has recently witnessed firsthand how aggressive discounting can damage overseas supply chains. “A major Korean distributor acting as an overseas wholesaler sold cosmetics at excessively low prices abroad—without consulting the manufacturers,” she explained. “As a result, the entire distribution network in Hong Kong collapsed. Some cosmetic brands have since cut ties with that distributor.”

 

 

Choi also plans to expand her fashion exports in the near future. “We’re currently exporting clothing to New York, Berlin, and Indonesia,” she said. “I reached out directly to local boutiques via email—and it worked. The response has been positive, so I’m looking to grow our overseas sales even further.”

 

 

The company posted ₩1 billion (approx. USD 770,000) in revenue last year and is projected to double that to ₩2 billion this year. Its operating profit margin exceeds 20%. “Cosmetics exports have played a key role in boosting profitability,” Choi noted. Although the business has remained profitable without outside investment so far, she is now considering raising funds to support further expansion.

 

 

Her goal is to build a company that not only generates profit, but also contributes meaningfully to society.. ““Ever since I was young, my father taught me not to just look straight ahead, but to also look around.”.“It’s not easy to keep looking around while running toward first place,” she said. “But I believe it's important to think beyond myself and build a company that grows together with others.”.”

 

 

 

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