In Conversation With Hong Zheng, Founder of GREENEXT
GREENEXT In Conversation With
Hong Zheng, Founder of GREENEXT
Ph.D. in Urban and Environmental Studies,
Founder of Adventi Communication,
Founder of GREENEXT
...
Hong Zheng is a woman of MANY roles! She is a Ph.D. degree holder of Environmental Engineering, a scientific researcher on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, a university teacher at École des mines de Paris, the founder of the luxury communications company Adventi … And in early 2020, Hong founded GREENEXT, an online and offline platform dedicated to sustainable fashion and lifestyle.
On top of everything, Hong, a mother of two independent young girls, married to a Marathon lover who is passionate about charity causes. She is a peacemaker, a justice activist, who loves the rich and charming sound of the cello and enjoys the freedom brought by the vast and majestic mountains.
To kick off GREENEXT's brand new session GREENEXT In Conversation With, we were fortunate to be able to have a real and honest conversation with our founder Hong, about her journey, impressive behind-the-scenes stories, and more importantly, how she started her sustainable fashion journey after being a successful businesswoman establishing her own Communications Company Adventi.
GREENEXT:
Sustainability must have been a very niche topic in China back in the 1980s I guess. Why did you choose environmental engineering as your research and teaching topic at that time? How did this journey start with you?
Hong:
Growing up, my parents have always been my role models, both of them are professors dedicated to scientific research. My father specialises in cellulosic chemistry and my mother studies superconducting materials, who is also a National Invention Award winner. I still remember clearly that when I was a child, I went to their laboratory and came across the waste water generated after their experiments. At that time I was like since I am their daughter, I should be taking care of the wastewater generated that they didn't have a solution for.
Hong at the University of Tokyo
It all came from such a simple idea! I ended up majoring in Wastewater Treatment at Tongji University in Shanghai and was lucky enough to study abroad in Japan on a scholarship offered by the University of Tokyo, specialising in greenhouse gas effects. After getting my Ph.D. degree, I started my teaching career.
Trying to have conversations with people about the climate crisis during the late 80s and early 90s is not an easy job! It was like a pie in the sky to people.
I remember as one of the representatives of the University of Tokyo, I participated in the first sustainable development conference, held in Switzerland. I then told my friends about the environmental crisis such as global warming, the melting of polar glaciers, and the rise of sea levels. None of them can relate to that, some of them even joked and said, “Well… no wonder you're a female Ph.D. degree holder!”
GREENEXT:
What made you take a step-down in the sustainability industry, instead you established a fashion communications company Adventi in Shanghai?
Hong:
Founding Adventi Communication wasn't planned at all! However, now when I look back, it was meant to be! During my 8 years of living in Paris, I made lots of friends who are working in the field of boutique and art. And when I came back to Shanghai in 2003, the boutique and luxury industry was developing rapidly in China. An old friend of mine from France asked me for help with his business. So it all started from helping him literally, and that was the beginning of my own luxury communications company Adventi, helping international luxury and designer brands develop marketing strategies here in China.
Hong delivering opening speech at GREEN FASHION SALON.
It was also because of this experience I then got to meet Ming Gu, the publisher of ELLE China, and Marie Claire China. That was how I got into the fashion industry, which seemed like a completely different world to me, yet it is so exciting and creative that I simply could not resist as a girl. Everyone around me thought it was such a crazy idea: a teacher with a Ph.D. degree in environmental engineering is now running her own fashion company, just like when I was talking about the climate crisis with them back in the days! But some of the best things in life are not planned, aren't they?
Everyone around me thought it was such a crazy idea: a teacher with a Ph.D. degree in environmental engineering is now running her own fashion company, just like when I was talking about the climate crisis with them back in the days!
It's such a blessing that I was lucky enough to have been able to do two completely different jobs in my life and enjoy them both! I feel extremely lucky to maintain the friendship with the people I met during the journey. For instance, after all these years, Ming has become my business partner, working towards the same vision.
GREENEXT:
What urged you to create a sustainability-focused platform GREEENXT? Was there one decisive moment?
Hong:
I remember that one summer in 2019, I chatted with my daughters, who were both born after the 00s, about what plans they have for their future.
My children told me that not only do they want to do something good for society, but also they want to do it for a great cause, with a positive social impact. For me, a mother should be the best role model for their kids, just like my mother is, to me!
I wanted to do something at this stage of life that's not only the right thing to do, but also do it for a great cause. That's why I started GREENEXT, an online and offline platform dedicated to sustainable fashion and lifestyle.
During the past 30 years, I am able to have two careers that most people would think that they are completely irrelevant. Yet somehow I managed to find a way to perfectly integrate them together. It feels like a God-given responsibility for me to shoulder up!
On the other hand, Adventi has helped many international brands formulate their promotional and marketing strategies in China during the past 17 years, and has accumulated a lot of resources from the supply chain, brands, media, and pioneering organisations.
In my opinion, sustainable fashion requires the joint efforts of the fashion industry, the consumers, and the recyclers — no party can solve this problem alone. So I think building a platform like GREENEXT is something that if we don't do it, who else are we waiting for to do it?
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On the other hand, the time is ready I believe. The sustainable fashion community is becoming stronger than ever. For instance, the French luxury giant Kering group and the ICICLE Group from China which seeks the harmony between human and nature, have always been pioneers in sustainable fashion.
Besides, an increasing amount of sustainable materials have been offered to the market that makes fashion more eco-friendly, including Naia™, sustainable cellulosic yarn developed by the global specialty materials company Eastman；RENU™, a recycled polyester fiber made by the Japanese trading firm Itochu Corporation.
Moreover, a growing number of organisations, brands, and institutions are working towards the same mission to transit to a more circular economy, turning our vision into a reality, for instance, the Copenhagen-based non-profit organization Global Fashion Agenda and Netherland-based sustainable fashion innovation platform Fashion For Good, etc.
GREENEXT:
What's the meaning of GREENEXT？
Hong:
We asked ourselves several questions before we created GREENEXT — who will be the target audience? Who will be the driving force for sustainability? And what will the next generation be called?
I remember it was because of one of our clients, a well-known French designer, when asked about what the fashion industry will be like in the next decade, he said that we need to listen to the next generation. Because whatever that is in their mind, it represents the future. We are living in an era where it is easy to be labelled with various labels, and each generation probably has some characteristics that run through them, such as the circle culture among the people born after the year 2000.
I think our audience is a group of people who believe in a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle, and they are the Green Generation and they represent the future. And that was how GREENEXT got its name!
The Green Generation's views on sustainable fashion.
GREENEXT:
Your proudest moment about GREENEXT? And what's next for the platform?
Hong:
We have accomplished a few projects that were never introduced to China before us! For instance, we hold the first industry trade show for brands and companies with sustainable products and materials; we conducted China's first survey on sustainable fashion brands and also released a full report of our findings during the survey after having conversations with 1001 fashion companies on sustainable fashion.
GREENEXT Going Green In China Report
Moving forward, we are building a community for advocates and practitioners who share the same vision as us to get informed, get inspired, and get action! Besides, we help brands communicate to the public how and to what degree they are following sustainable practices. Last but not least, we help companies with sustainability agenda reach the right players on the value chain, and transform it as one of their key driving forces for continuous development.
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GREENEXT:
Based on your experiences living and working in Shanghai, Tokyo, Paris, and New York (which are all known as the fashion capitals), have you witnessed any differences in consumers' awareness or willingness towards sustainable fashion?
Hong:
I think that the main focus for Chinese and Western consumers when choosing sustainable products is not quite the same. Chinese consumers may focus first on the product itself — is it healthy, safe, of good quality, and harmless to us? In contrast, Western consumers may also focus on the impact the product or brand has on the environment and human beings when choosing sustainable products.
Also, we are more exposed to the negative impact caused by environmental problems, so we have this kind of vigilance that we must first protect ourselves from environmental pollution, and then protect the earth and beautify the future of mankind, etc.
A Plastic Ban poster at Hainan University. Image Source: IC
The differences between Chinese and Western culture led to different opinions when it comes to environmental protection. In the East, especially in China, it is more like a cause guided by our nation or our cities' rules and regulations, we're more of a collectivist, right?
For instance, in the case of Shanghai's Household Waste Management Regulations or Single-use Plastic Straw and Bag Ban in many cities in China, the citizens, as members of society, participate in this collective effort, respond to the call of the policy, and then develop more environmentally friendly living habits.
However, in the West, most people are brought up with an awareness of the environmental crisis and the need to protect our environment. We're at different phases, thus communicating with Chinese and Western consumers with some different focuses is really important.
GREENEXT:
Consumers are undoubtedly a group of great importance that can drive the positive change of the fashion industry towards more sustainability. What role do you think the media plays in this movement guiding consumers towards conscious behavioral changes?
Hong:
Media is of great importance for sure. From my perspective, the media takes on the role of disseminating true information to the audience, while giving rational and analytical views to guide, and to educate the public.
Whether it is traditional media, such as newspaper, radio, television, etc., or new media platforms that are developing with each passing day, such as social media, digital media, etc., the target of their service is different. Therefore, the media can speak for various parties — they can speak for the government, for the enterprises, for the fashion brands. But how many of them are voicing for the planet that we all depend on?
Or in other words, isn't that worth speaking up for the planet we all depend on?
If we plunder nature's resources endlessly and insatiably, it is only we humans who will eventually be devoured, as the COVID-19 pandemic so well shows. When nature fights back, we may not even have the opportunity to struggle.
GREENEXT's WeChat Platform
The good news is, more and more media in China have joined the community that speaks for the earth and nature, such as WWD China, Luxe.Co, Vogue Business in China, etc.
I also believe that more and more media will join this ever-growing community in the future. For example, sustainable fashion is one of the main focuses of Vogue China's new editor-in-chief, Margaret Zhang. GREENEXT's own media platform on Wechat will also launch many new sections in the upcoming months, providing our audience a leading resource and community for sustainable fashion and lifestyle.
GREENEXT:
China plays a pivotal role in the global apparel and textile industry. GREENEXT previously initiated a survey on sustainability amongst 1001 brands, what do you think are the major issues the fashion industry is facing at the moment? What efforts and changes are needed?
Hong:
The survey reflects many of the problems that fashion companies are facing at the moment. I think it all boils down to two keywords — FAST and MORE! Fashion comes and goes so fast nowadays, for instance, some fast fashion brands are launching new products every week, we can barely keep up with the pace! On the other hand, a great number of companies we interviewed all mentioned one problem that they are facing at the moment is how to unlock the value of the deadstock.
Apart from that, some companies also mentioned a few difficulties and barriers that they encounter when approaching sustainability and circularity in China, which includes fashion technology, affordable price point and communications with their consumers, etc.
Deadstock clothing
I think it is fair enough to say that China has the most complete and efficient supply chain in the global apparel and textile industry, which is also the most cost-effective. That's why I firmly believe that China will be playing a very important role in the sustainable fashion movement. In addition, the growing consumer power in China makes the Chinese market of great significance to the global apparel and textile industry. It is time for us to have this responsibility to make positive changes!
China has the most complete and efficient supply chain in the global apparel and textile industry, which is also the most cost-effective.
As for what efforts are needed in the fashion industry? I think, first of all, put sustainability at the heart of your strategy business. That is very crucial! Secondly, integrate the sustainable development goals (SDGs) into your supply chain, from the sourcing of raw materials to the distribution of the finished products. Moreover, unlock the power of textile waste, from pre-consumer textile scraps to post-consumer unwanted garments. It is a shift towards a circular fashion economy!
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As we know, China aims to hit peak carbon emissions before 2030, and for carbon neutrality by 2060. It is only a matter of time before purchasing eco-friendly and low-carbon products becomes the norm for the general public. It's a big challenge for the fashion and textile industry, but it also provides great business opportunities!
Back in the day, there was a widely used saying in China, which in English means “do something with more outcome, higher speed, better quality, and less waste”. And I feel like it is a perfect saying to use nowadays moving towards a sustainable fashion industry — we are shifting from “more outcome”, “higher-speed”to “better quality”, and “less waste”, aren't we?
GREENEXT:
What's your favourite ever-lasting garment in your wardrobe? Can you share with us the stories behind this?
Hong:
It is a shirt that many of you may have seen me wearing! It's a blue and purple ruffled shirt that was actually given to me by my close friend Yumiko when I was studying in Japan. She brought the blouse when she was traveling in France back in the 70s. It was a special piece to her that she hated to throw it away. Instead, it was given to me in the 90s.
Hong in her favourite blouse at Beijing Fashion Week.
So the blouse is now more than 40 years old! Although it is not made from traditionally eco-friendly materials, it suits me perfectly in terms of style and quality. It's also a seasonless piece that mixes-and-matches so well with other clothes in my wardrobe. So whenever I'm in doubt about what to wear, it's always my to-go piece!
I'm taking good care of this special piece and maybe one day I can pass it on to my two daughters as well, so as to get the most use out of the garment, which is also one of the ways of being a conscious fashion consumer!
GREENEXT:
Before you go… we would like to end this interview with some quickfire questions! What would be the first thing that comes into your mind when hearing the following words? (Hong's responses are in italics.)
Hope - Unknown
Chinese - Red
Luxury - Longevity
Sustainable Fashion - Togetherness
Communication - Smooth
Home - Safe
Motherhood - Role Model
COVID-19 - Reflections
Future - Bright
GREENEXT - Hope