Ms Estina Ang started the company in Singapore in 1977 with $3,000 and just six sewing machines. Today, it is leading vertically integration global textile and apparel manufacturing & supply. It offers a range of services, including fabric innovation, product design, volume manufacturing and market intelligence.

“Clients want strategic partners these days. For example, we help them forecast the new trends, which markets to push into and at what price so they can get a good profit margin, ” she said.

The home-grown company has its own manufacturing network supplemented by outsourced factories in Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. A high percentage of the fabric used in these factories comes from Ghim Li’s fabric mill in Malaysia – an operational strategy that benefits clients.