Vice Chairman Rae Eun SUNG Shares Insights into the Group’s Vision, Global Footprint, and Strategic Foray into India
In the ever-evolving landscape of global textile and apparel manufacturing, Youngone Corporation stands tall as a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and unwavering commitment to excellence. From its modest origins in 1974 producing winter jackets in South Korea, Youngone has grown into one of the world’s most admired conglomerates in the apparel, footwear, and gear sectors. With over 90,000 employees across 17 countries, the company’s footprint is not just expansive — it is transformative. Guided by the visionary leadership of Chairman Kihak Sung, Youngone has become a trusted partner to the world’s leading outdoor and sportswear brands, known for its unmatched product quality, vertically integrated operations, and future-forward approach to business.
At the heart of this remarkable success is a powerful value system — one that prioritizes environmental stewardship, inclusive growth, and continuous innovation. Whether it is pioneering award-winning insulation technologies under the EcoLoft® brand, investing in clean energy through one of the largest solar panel arrays in Bangladesh, or nurturing biodiversity at its landmark Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), Youngone continues to redefine what responsible manufacturing looks like in the 21st century.
Now, with India emerging as a global manufacturing and consumption hub, Youngone is making bold strides through its wholly owned subsidiary Evertop Textile and Apparel Complex Pvt Ltd (ETL). With a multi-phase investment plan and a vision to create one of the most advanced and environmentally sustainable textile clusters in the region, Youngone is poised to become a key player in India’s apparel ecosystem.
In this candid and insightful interview, Ms. Rae Eun SUNG, Vice Chairman of the Youngone Group of Companies, shares the story of Youngone’s journey, its technology-first and planet-positive business model, and how the company is gearing up for the next phase of growth — with India as a vital part of that vision.
Can you please give us a brief introduction to Youngone Corporation, the products you manufacture, and your global operations?
Youngone Corporation was founded by Chairman Kihak Sung in 1974 in South Korea. The company started out by making down-filled winter jackets and ski suits for European customers. Since then, Youngone has become one of the world’s largest manufacturers of outdoor clothing, sportswear, shoes, bags and accessories for many of the world’s leading brands across six countries. It now has over 90,000 employees, of which 75% are female, in 17 markets.
Youngone is the first company to establish a privately-owned export processing zone in Bangladesh; the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), which is the company’s flagship production facility. The formerly barren 2,492 acre site has been transformed into a lush industrial zone with the planting of over three million trees and plants of over 400 species. In addition, 25 water bodies have been created with over 600 million gallons of rainwater harvested, and the area has become home to more than 130 varieties of birds and wildlife. Work has also begun on a textile institute, a high tech park, and a botanical gardens. A 500-bed medical complex has already been established at the KEPZ to service the local community.
Youngone has established operations in multiple countries. What motivated your expansion into India, and what advantages does this market offer?
Youngone embarked on a strategy to diversify its manufacturing bases in order to best serve its customers, as well as providing resilience to support business continuity. The company now manufactures in six countries, Bangladesh, Vietnam, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, and most recently at its new facility in the Telangana region of India.
India is now the most populous country in the world, with a large and growing middle-class. International brands expanding into India understand that domestic consumers often have a preference for goods that are made in India. Our investments in India not only support our diversification strategy, we are also ideally placed to serve the consumer market in India. Producing ready-made garments in India for the domestic market will also help to minimize our environmental impact by reducing shipping and transport requirements.
Youngone follows a vertically integrated model, from materials to final products. How does this approach enhance efficiency, quality, and sustainability, and do you plan to establish fabric production in India?
Youngone has always been pursuing a vertical integration strategy. This approach not only ensures consistent, timely supply of critical materials to our factories, it also enhances quality control because we manage every stage of the process ourselves. Our materials division in Bangladesh, as an example, now sells over 50% of its production to other factories in Bangladesh, helping to support the local industry overall, while simplifying the supply chain and reducing transport and shipping costs.
Youngone started with outerwear and has expanded into various categories, including sportswear, gear, and footwear. What key market trends and innovations have driven this diversification?
Outerwear continues to be a significant part of Youngone’s overall business, as we have developed an unrivalled reputation for serving many of the world’s leading outdoor brands. However, we have seen significant growth in demand for ‘athleisure wear’. This product category received a significant boost during the pandemic with many people putting more focus on health and exercise. Furthermore these categories are not seasonal, which helps to deliver more consistent year-round production.
We work closely with many of the global brands to develop new material blends using man-made fibers that enhance breathability, comfort and anti-microbial qualities. We are also focused on using recycled and recyclable materials, such as our award-winning ‘Ecoloft’ range of padding and insulation materials. There is also growing consumer awareness and concern about reducing the environmental impact of the clothing industry. So we continue to innovate and find ways of incorporating more recycled materials into our different product categories.
Youngone has a history of pioneering advancements such as seam-sealed waterproof garments. What recent innovations in textiles, digital printing, and smart fabrics are shaping your future product development?
Youngone continues to conduct R&D at its R&D centers around the globe. In recent years, as part of an effort to lead the way in innovation, more effectively control quality in garments and gear, and streamline the supply chain for our customers, Youngone has created its own families of ingredient technologies that can be used in technical apparel. Those include fabrics, insulation, waterproof/breathable membranes.
Meanwhile our ‘Ecoloft’ range of insulations have won multiple awards over the past few years. At the recent 2023/2024 ISPO Textrends Fall/Winter 2025/2026 Youngone received a ‘Top10 Award’ for two material innovations: the zero-waste EcoLoft ZERO Fill insulation and the renewable, recycled and biodegradable EcoLoft Natural WoolPok insulation. ISPO Textrends is one of the primary outdoor and sports industry trade/B2B organizations, and is among the industry’s most prestigious spotlights.
Reducing carbon footprints and responsible sourcing are key focus areas. What sustainability initiatives, waste management practices, and ethical labor policies are in place across your global operations?
From the very beginning, Youngone has focused on sustainable development. Chairman and CEO, Kihak Sung said: “Producing goods, developing infrastructure, and simultaneously improving the environment are at the heart of Youngone’s strategies and policies”. The company’s philosophy is to increase employment through sustainable growth and to help improve quality of life by environmentally responsible and focused management. Youngone’s long-term goal is to contribute to society by creating opportunities and returning wealth.
Youngone now employs over 90,000 staff worldwide, with around 70,000 workers across Bangladesh, which has helped the country to become the world’s second largest garment exporter. The company has also invested over US$40 million in one of the largest array of roof top solar panels in Bangladesh. Currently about 35 MWp capacity has been installed, which will eventually rise to around 45 MWp. The company aims to eventually generate 100 MWp from its global solar panel deployment by 2030.
We recently phased out our coal-powered boilers at our Nam Dinh facility in Vietnam. The company has fully transitioned from coal to biomass boilers, powered by rice husk pellets, reaffirming our commitment to environmental sustainability and decarbonisation.
This initiative aligns with Youngone Corporation’s overarching policy to combat climate change and prioritize decarbonisation in its operations. It represents a significant milestone in achieving the company’s ambitious target of reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.
Employee wellbeing continues to be one of the highest priorities of the company. There are numerous initiatives to improve and support good working environments, including development programs for employees so that they can reach their full potential. Our GEAR initiative (Gender Equality And Returns), which started in 2022, is a training program designed to increase the ratio of female supervisors. So far more than 240 women have completed the training and been promoted to supervisor. We have also introduced a ‘GEAR Advance’ program to develop our current female supervisors to become technicians, line chiefs and managers, by offering them comprehensive training to gain a wide range of skills.
How is Youngone integrating automation, AI-driven manufacturing, and advanced supply chain solutions to enhance efficiency and scalability?
Youngone continues to invest in state-of-the-art automation at its factories around the world. We are currently conducting trials using AI to enhance planning, material utilization and logistics to ensure we are maximizing efficiency. We have also established a venture capital investment fund, called Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) in 2022, with the aim of making strategic investments in fashion brands, innovators in fabric materials, automation and ESG related startups, primarily in the US, Europe and Southeast Asia.
Will Youngone introduce India-specific product lines tailored to local climate and consumer preferences? How do you see the Indian market shaping your business in the long run?
Youngone’s investment in India will help to further diversify our manufacturing operations and expand our material business capabilities, as well as providing access to the world’s largest consumer market. The project at the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park in the Warangal district will include eleven factories, with an initial investment of US$120 million. We will work closely with local and international brands to develop products tailored to the India market.
Youngone’s wholly-owned Indian subsidiary, ‘Evertop Textile and Apparel Complex Private Limited’ (ETL), has been allocated 297 Acres of Land by the Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation. The company broke ground on the new site in May 2023 and has already started production. ETL will primarily focus on export-related production under the Special Economic Zone in the Textile Park.
Significant investment in state-of-the art technology will help to shorten lead times and increase productivity. Like all Youngone manufacturing facilities worldwide, the factories in India will be environmentally friendly throughout.
Sustainable practices have been designed into the project from the outset. These include solar panels installation, low power consumption equipment and efficient waste management. The company will endeavor to create a comfortable working environment within the buildings.
Global Supply Chain & Competitive Edge: Youngone operates production facilities worldwide. How does this global presence strengthen your supply chain and give you a competitive edge over other manufacturers?
In addition to being physically closer to our customers, which helps to reduce transport time and costs, this approach also give us added resiliency and agility, in case of supply chain disruptions. By manufacturing in close proximity to our customers, we are better able to manage inventory levels and can respond more quickly to changes in demand.
What are Youngone’s key growth targets for the next five years, particularly in India? How do you see the company evolving in the global apparel and sportswear industry?
The volatile geopolitical landscape at present makes it difficult to forecast growth. We will continue to focus on our priorities of sustainable growth and development and trying to ensure we maximize our investments for long term growth.
In India we are well into the first phase of our development strategy, with construction of the first five factories out of a planned eleven. Any future development in India will depend on the success of our initial phases and customer demand.
We are also looking to the future with the opening of a ‘Fashion and Textile College’ at our KEPZ facility in Bangladesh. This Institute will play a key role in nurturing the next generation of innovators, designers, engineers and technicians to ensure Bangladesh remains at the forefront of the textile and garment industry well into the future. We will continue to focus on developing our staff and we are expanding several programs to multiple locations, such as our GEAR programs and Youngone Leadership Development Programs (YLDP).
Youngone will continue to pursue its multi-country and vertical integration strategy to diversify our production capabilities and ensure a high degree of self-sufficiency. We also continue to invest in state-of-the art technology to maximize efficiency and maintain our world-class quality standards.