We are pleased to place our attention on another long-standing mill partner, Billion Rise, with whom we’ve been collaborating for 16 years.
Established in 1999, Billion Rise Knitting is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated companies focused on the manufacture of synthetic materials for sportswear, swimwear, underwear, and lingerie products.
With a head office and manufacturing facility based in China, Billion Rise also has offices in Hong Kong, California, New York, and the United Kingdom to service its international customer base of leading brands. The company’s new Vietnam manufacturing facility is planned to be up and running at the end of 2022.
The company is committed to social responsibility and community outreach offering many benefits to its employees such as free shuttle transportation, free childcare, and meals. It also provides scholarships to low-income families, partners with local colleges to provide classes in textiles, and donates to and visits local senior care centers.
In addition to offering a number of eco-friendly knits, Billion Rise Knitting also carries its sustainability initiatives to its manufacturing process by adhering to strict wastewater treatment practices with its on-site, state-of-the-art water treatment plant.
Eva Zhou, Business Development Manager, Billion Rise, shared a few insights as to how our partnership began and has developed over the years.
When did Billion Rise and Hyosung begin working together and how?
Our partnership began in 2005. We wanted to work with a global company that could provide us with a full range of elastane and functional fibres.
What does Billion Rise look for when selecting a fiber company to partner with?
We look for our fibre partners to have an extensive range of excellent quality products, cutting-edge innovation, and a global presence so that we can communicate easily and efficiently, no matter the region/time zone. We also want to work with our customers to meet their specific requirements. Hyosung checks all of these boxes.
Why do you think Billion Rise and Hyosung have become such strong partners over the years?
We have great and close relationships on all levels, (R&D, sales, etc.). We’ve created a strong bond that has developed and enabled us to work closely on various projects from season to season.
Can you give an example of how you both work together to anticipate brand developers’ needs?
Our external sales teams (Billion Rise and Hyosung’s) work closely together and are often talking to the same brands/retailers so are conversing on a regular basis to cover all requests. Also, our sourcing department is in regular contact with the Hyosung Far East team to make sure we are fully aware of any newly developed fibres. It is very helpful that we are both global companies with offices around the world!
We’d love to know about a particularly challenging brand request and how Billion Rise, in collaboration with Hyosung, worked through it.
The most recent one I can remember is a high-profile project for a notable brand where we had to quickly redevelop a key fabric for an undergarment from standard nylon to recycled nylon. The recycled nylon needed to have an extremely soft hand (as these garments cover a large area of the body) whilst adding various functional finishes to achieve optimum performance requirements. We accomplished this using Hyosung’s Mipan® regen recycled nylon and the garments are now in the brand’s stores!
What is new and exciting on the horizon?
As more and more brands are requesting sustainable fabrics, we are excited to use your Mipan® regen 100% recycled nylon and creora® bio-based elastane.
Many thanks to Eva and the team at Billion Rise for answering our questions! We hope all of you have the good fortune to meet this great group at a forthcoming tradeshow or industry event in the near future.
