Cashmere champion wins global applause for devotion to best-business-practices and commitment to markets.


China Union (Cashmere) International Group Limited was established in Hong Kong in 1995 with three founders — Ms. Sit, Mr. Ngai and Mr. Francis Lee. At the time the cashmere raw material price was fluctuating greatly, creating market instability and difficulty for some manufacturers to place commitments. Ms. Sit specialized in raw material sourcing for many years. Mr. Ngai is an expert in knitwear manufacturing. Mr. Francis Lee is skilled in the areas of merchandising, understanding of the worldwide retail market and is excellent in dealing with customers. 

Utilizing all of their specialized skills they formed China Union. The business model is steady and strong based on a full service approach focusing on raw material to finished product for the customers.

Quality Proves Cost-Saver!

China Union has specialized in the US market. “Customers constantly challenge us to deliver faster, with better quality and better value,” says Francis Lee, executive director. “We naturally worked toward fine tuning our business model with focus toward our own well managed supply chain. With our Hong Kong office we sourced raw materials through Inner-Mongolia. We developed a spinning and dying factory in Wuxi and our knitting and finishing garment factory in Huidong. Our merchandising and marketing approach is twofold: We have dedicated teams in Hong Kong and New York focusing on marketing and merchandising. We strive through our efficiencies of production and marketing to develop superior product, while passing on relevant savings to our customers.”

“Unlike other companies, we offer our customers a complete production chain process. We manage and control all aspects of the business from the raw materials to the finished sweater products. This business model allows for better costing, value and customer confidence when compared to the competitors.”

One-Stop-Shop

“Unlike other companies, we offer our customers a complete production chain process. We manage and control all aspects of the business from the raw materials to the finished sweater products. This business model allows for better costing, value and customer confidence when compared to the competitors. Another form of differentiation vs the competitors is our strategy to invest: We invest wisely in training for our staff, as well as investing in production advantages such as the finest automated equipment available for production, providing greater quality and cost savings advantages.

In design development, we actively invest and encourage our design team to meet the world. We look forward we could gradually change our business model from OEM to both ODM and OBM.”

Adding Value

Lee says: “Our ability to deliver a complete chain of supply, raw material to finished product allows us to meet the requirements of fast fashion with excellent quality and timely delivery.

For design, we proceed with through market research and discussion with our customers to establish market trends and innovative fashion concepts. Our own cashmere knitwear collections: ‘MALVERN’ and ‘VERTICAL DESIGN’ offer fashion knitwear for men’s, women’s, infants and fashion accessories. We strive to supply our customers with the correct product with value, fashion and quality.”

What obstacles have you faced in the HK market and how have you overcome them?

Speaking of expansion he says, “we believe that we will continue to run our business from Hong Kong while also developing another office in Southeast Asia. The Southeast Asia office will focus on production for Canada and European markets, where there will be duty free preferential policies and low labor costs to service those markets competitively.”

“There really isn’t a secret to success. Through hard work, passion, service and dedication to our industry, we are successful. Without those ideals, we would not know how to achieve success. We believe in striving for excellence, working in fate and enjoying the smallest blessing,” says Lee.


Hong Kong’s Business Leaders share market and interest intelligence in the pages of HKMVC 2017