Cotton shirt maker Esquel has opened a factory in Gaoming, west of Foshan City, that it says was designed to be both efficient and environmentally-friendly.
At the opening ceremony last week, Esquel Group Chairman Marjorie Yang highlighted the need to ensure the welfare of its employees and protect the environment.
Esquel says it is a leader in innovation, environmental protection and corporate social responsibility in the apparel manufacturing industry. The company says by incorporating five "e-Culture principles" (ethics, environment, exploration, excellence and education), Esquel says its goal is to contribute positively to the communities in which it operates.
Costing US$150 million to build, it sits on an area of 150,000 sqm. It has a capacity of 3.5 million yards of cotton yarn dyed fabric a month.
Esquel owns factories in China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Mauritius, and supplies mostly US, European and Japanese customers. Its customers include Abercrombie & Fitch, J.Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, Nordstrom, Polo Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, JCPenney, Marks & Spencer, Next, Muji, Ito-Yokado, Right On and Hugo Boss.
