We are delighted to shine our spotlight this month on Nari Kim, Product Manager of one of our newest sustainable fiber offerings – creora® bio-based spandex, which you will be hearing more about very soon.
Nari has been an integral member of the company since 2017, serving several different roles that eventually led her to her now happiest spot!
Outside of Hyosung and her love of bio-based products, Nari enjoys jewelry design and crafting. She’s also traveled extensively and has an eye for capturing interesting sites around the world for inspiration.
Now that we are beginning to travel again, we hope you get the chance to meet Nari at a forthcoming trade show or customer visit soon. In the meantime, you can get to know Nari a bit more in the Q&A below!
How did you get your start in the textile industry?
My first start was working as a color specialist for a fashion company. My main task was to select the brand’s signature color every season and analyze and adjust the color data values so that the color of the product could be well expressed in-store lighting sources.
What led you to Hyosung?
Hyosung is a fiber company. In order to sell fiber, it is necessary to know the overall process of the fashion industry, which makes yarn into fabric, produces garments, and sells them to customers. Having worked for a fashion agent and a garment manufacturer, I have a good understanding of this process. Therefore, I joined this company to use my career experience to market Hyosung’s products and textile solutions with the end goal of connecting it to sales.
Have you always been interested in the textile industry, and if so why?
I’ve been working in the textile field for more than 15 years already! If I had not been interested in the textile industry, I would not have worked this long.
Has sustainable fiber innovation influenced your position at Hyosung?
Yes, Hyosung’s future will be led by sustainable products. I am the production manager of our creora® bio-based spandex, a key product among Hyosung’s sustainable fiber portfolio. This management role will strengthen my position in Hyosung.
You’ve worn several hats at Hyosung (meaning you’ve held several positions). What do you like best about your new position with the company?
I’ve always been personally interested in bio-based products such as food or materials. I feel very lucky to lead the charge of our Bio-spandex as Production Manager.
Can you share a memorable/proud moment you’ve experienced at Hyosun
This is the moment! I joined the creora® team again after being away from them while working in the Hyosung Corporate Communications Department. It was wonderful to meet again after becoming experts in our respective fields. We can now finally collaborate and help each other’s strengths. I am very proud of my colleagues.
How do you think the textile industry and Hyosung have changed over the last 2 to 3 years?
Customers have been changing. They are not satisfied with simply using sustainable raw materials when we make products, as they were three to four years ago.
They want to hear the details of how our fibers are produced, not just the raw materials that are used, but also how they are made. They are also curious as to how our future plans contribute to the environment.
Until just a few years ago, Hyosung was known as a company with technical skills in developing chemical products.
With the efforts of researching and collecting the Voice of our Consumes over the past two to three years, I am proud to say Hyosung is now moving toward a company that provides continuous innovation and sustainable textile solutions.
Do you have a favorite Hyosung fiber and if so, what is it?
Yes! It’s definitely creora® bio-based spandex!
Who are a few idols that inspire you and why?
Phoebe Philo. I was first inspired by her 20 years ago. She is the creator of the ‘minimal’ design trend in the fashion industry and is the creative director who has led Celine for the longest time.
Actually, her style doesn’t suit me well. Nevertheless, I am enthusiastic about all the products she has designed. This indicates that she knows how to design apparel that appeals to her customers’ style. I am also trying to learn this technique.
What music are you listening to these days?
I love ‘Silk Sonic’. The music I’m listening to most recently is ‘Leave the Door Open’.
This song is similar to R&D music that was popular in the 90s. I love the 90’s mood!
As we come out from under COVID, what are you most looking forward to doing when more restrictions are lifted?
I hope that face-to-face meetings with customers and Hyosung Global Team will be activated and become more frequent.
Although non-face-to-face meetings took place during the Corona crisis and were productive, I prefer face-to-face meetings as I believe that emotional exchange between each other takes place through face-to-face meetings. I don’t want my customer meetings to be only transactional – meaning to simply give my customers information about our products. I want to collaborate, spend time and join them in their future.
Where is one place you’ve never been, but is high on your list to visit?
Istanbul, Turkey. I watched a mini-series on Netflix called ‘Midnight at Pera Palace’. It’s about the main character going back and forth between the past and the present in the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul. After watching this series, I became interested in Turkey’s history. If I have a chance, I would like to visit Istanbul, the background of the drama – and to see and feel its culture in person.
