{"id":1798,"date":"2025-07-19T17:47:52","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T08:47:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greenest-int.com\/?post_type=news&p=1798"},"modified":"2025-07-19T17:52:28","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T08:52:28","slug":"%ec%b9%9c%ed%99%98%ea%b2%bd-%ec%98%b7%eb%8f%84-%ec%95%84%eb%a6%84%eb%8b%a4%ec%9b%8c%ec%9a%94-%ed%8e%b8%ea%b2%ac%ea%b3%bc-%ec%8b%b8%ec%9a%b0%eb%8a%94-%ec%b5%9c%ed%95%98%ec%9d%80-%ea%b7%b8%eb%a6%ac","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/greenest-int.com\/en\/news\/%ec%b9%9c%ed%99%98%ea%b2%bd-%ec%98%b7%eb%8f%84-%ec%95%84%eb%a6%84%eb%8b%a4%ec%9b%8c%ec%9a%94-%ed%8e%b8%ea%b2%ac%ea%b3%bc-%ec%8b%b8%ec%9a%b0%eb%8a%94-%ec%b5%9c%ed%95%98%ec%9d%80-%ea%b7%b8%eb%a6%ac\/","title":{"rendered":"The Korea Times | \u201cEco-friendly Clothes Can Be Beautiful Too\u201d \u2013 CEO Haeun Choi of Greenest Challenges Stereotypes"},"content":{"rendered":"
- Graduated with Summa Cum Laude from FIT in New York, Haeun Choi designs eco-friendly clothing worn by celebrities.\n\n-She has also expanded into cosmetics distribution, exporting to 14 countries.<\/pre>\n
There\u2019s 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\u2014called Greenest\u2014is not backed by a major corporation or a famous designer, but by a three-person startup.\n\nAt the heart of it all is 27-year-old CEO Choi Ha-eun, who oversees nearly every aspect of the business herself\u2014from design and material sourcing to sales and branding.<\/p>\n
Choi Ha-eun\u2019s eco-friendly fashion brand Greenest is growing by breaking stereotypes. From \u201cYoung women in their 20s with no corporate or business background can\u2019t succeed,\u201d to \u201cSustainable clothing isn\u2019t stylish,\u201d and \u201cYou can\u2019t run an international business alone\u201d\u2014Choi is proving them all wrong.\n\nShe 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.<\/p>\n
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Graduated with Summa Cum Laude from FIT in New York<\/p>\n
CEO Choi graduated at the top of her class in Fashion Business Management from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York\u2014one 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.\n\n\u201cI wanted to study fashion at the most recognized institution, so I chose to study abroad during college,\u201d she said. \u201cMy parents run an academy, so I grew up enjoying studying. I\u2019ve always loved working hard\u2014so in my spare time, I learned seven languages and traveled to 23 countries.\u201d<\/p>\n
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At just 25 years old, she founded her own brand in New York. From the start, her top priority was creating a positive impact.\n\n\u201cWhile studying in college, I was shocked to learn that the fashion industry is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s when I decided I wanted to build a sustainable brand\u2014one that doesn\u2019t harm people, the planet, or animals.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Through her brand, she set out to break the stereotype that eco-friendly clothing can\u2019t be stylish.\n\n\u201cWhen I looked into eco-friendly fashion in Korea, I noticed that many brands focused only on sustainability, often neglecting design,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a common misconception that sustainability requires sacrificing beauty\u2014but that\u2019s just not true. Fashion must be beautiful. Without aesthetic appeal, it can\u2019t reach the mainstream\u2014and without that, it can\u2019t be truly sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Celebrity-loved designs, all created by her<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
For her garments, she sources premium eco-friendly fabrics used by luxury brands like Herm\u00e8s and Dolce & Gabbana\u2014from Italy\u2019s Canclini to Japan\u2019s Shibaya, known for its natural dyeing techniques.\n\n\u201cWe use OEKO-TEX\u00ae certified fabrics, which are free from harmful chemicals, and RWS-certified wool, which comes from farms that practice animal welfare\u2014using only naturally shed wool during molting season,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
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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.\n\nUndeterred, Choi reached out directly to fabric manufacturers overseas, including those in Italy.\n\n\u201cI explained in detail why I needed sustainable materials and what my brand stood for,\u201d she said. \u201cEventually, some of the global headquarters agreed\u2014and now they ship the fabrics to me directly, bypassing local distributors.\u201d<\/p>\n
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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.\n\nShe doesn\u2019t use plastic garment bags either. Instead, each item is packaged in a small Tyvek pouch\u2014a recyclable material that doesn\u2019t release harmful substances when incinerated.<\/p>\n
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Naturally, the use of such premium materials drives up the price of her garments.\n\n\u201cSustainable fabrics can cost up to six times more than conventional ones,\u201d she explained. \u201cBut the quality is much higher, so the clothes last longer\u2014making them worth the investment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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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.\n\n\u201cClassic designs might seem simple, but they offer an elegant, refined look that appeals to a wide range of age groups,\u201d she said. \u201cEven though the pieces are technically women\u2019s wear, they don\u2019t overly emphasize femininity\u2014so men can wear them too. I only produce two sizes to reduce inventory, and the loose fit ensures versatility for different body types.\u201d<\/p>\n
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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\u2019s Seongsu-dong\u2014a trendy hotspot for emerging fashion.\n\n\u201cWhen influencers wear your clothes, the marketing impact is huge,\u201d she said. \u201cAfter that, celebrities\u2014actors, singers, even comedians\u2014started wearing them on TV, and word of mouth spread quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
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She also pioneered overseas exports.<\/p>\n
Choi\u2019s focus isn\u2019t limited to domestic sales\u2014exports 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.\n\nHer 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.<\/p>\n
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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\u2014including the U.S., Australia, Italy, Thailand, Indonesia, the UAE, Iraq, South Africa, and Hong Kong, China.\n\n\u201cI first convinced domestic cosmetics suppliers to let me carry their products,\u201d she explained. \u201cThen I built trust with overseas buyers by posting photos of neatly stocked products on Instagram\u2014proof that I was ready to deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n
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One notable aspect of her strategy is her firm high-price policy.\n\n\u201cIn cosmetics, once prices collapse, it\u2019s hard to recover brand value,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s why we strictly monitor overseas pricing. If a distributor sells below the agreed price\u2014even slightly\u2014we immediately cut off supply.\u201d<\/p>\n
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In fact, Choi has recently witnessed firsthand how aggressive discounting can damage overseas supply chains.\n\n\u201cA major Korean distributor acting as an overseas wholesaler sold cosmetics at excessively low prices abroad\u2014without consulting the manufacturers,\u201d she explained. \u201cAs a result, the entire distribution network in Hong Kong collapsed. Some cosmetic brands have since cut ties with that distributor.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Choi also plans to expand her fashion exports in the near future.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re currently exporting clothing to New York, Berlin, and Indonesia,\u201d she said. \u201cI reached out directly to local boutiques via email\u2014and it worked. The response has been positive, so I\u2019m looking to grow our overseas sales even further.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The company posted \u20a91 billion (approx. USD 770,000) in revenue last year and is projected to double that to \u20a92 billion this year. Its operating profit margin exceeds 20%.\n\n\u201cCosmetics exports have played a key role in boosting profitability,\u201d Choi noted.\n\nAlthough the business has remained profitable without outside investment so far, she is now considering raising funds to support further expansion.<\/p>\n
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Her goal is to build a company that not only generates profit, but also contributes meaningfully to society.. “<\/span>\u201cEver since I was young, my father taught me not to just look straight ahead, but to also look around.\u201d.\u201c<\/span>It\u2019s not easy to keep looking around while running toward first place,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I believe it's important to think beyond myself and build a company that grows together with others.\u201d.”<\/span><\/p>\n
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[\ucd9c\ucc98] \ud55c\uad6d\uc77c\ubcf4: https:\/\/www.hankookilbo.com\/News\/Read\/A2025042810040002870?did=NA<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":1801,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-1798","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenest-int.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenest-int.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenest-int.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greenest-int.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greenest-int.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}