Charlotte Tsuei-Robinson, founder of Caelum Greene, one of Hong Kong’s first sustainable athleisure retailers, shares what she learned from the fashion industry and paying it forward
At her last job working for a luxury shoe brand, Charlotte Tsuei-Robinson was stunned by how the label destroyed a large pile of unsold and well-crafted shoes at the end of each season. “There are people who don’t have shoes to wear to work. It’s mind-boggling to me and doesn’t make sense,” she says.
She then researched how the fashion industry has been polluting the environment—from garment manufacturing factories discharging toxic chemicals into waterways to the sector’s massive waste problem and greenhouse gas emissions. As a yogi and one who takes an interest in wellness and sustainability, she thought there should be more options in the market for eco-conscious fashion-loving consumers like her.
Tsuei-Robinson founded Caelum Greene in 2016, positioning it as Hong Kong’s first multi-brand retailer selling sustainable athleisure. “If you want to buy something new and still have your shopping experience, you can come to us knowing that we work with brands that have impact, whether it’s environmental or social, and tip the scale a little bit at a time,” she says.
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Since its inception, Caelum Greene has blossomed into a thriving brand. After opening its first store, it launched its online shop, held pop-ups around the city and eventually set up its brick-and-mortar flagship at The Landmark in 2019. Without external investments, it has seen steady annual growth of ten percent. “Over 40 percent of our customers are repeat customers. It shows the stickiness of the concept. It also shows that a very loyal group of people is growing with us,” she says.
Caelum Greene stocks more than 60 eco-friendly brands, each contributing to the community in different ways. For instance, Ninety Percent is one such brand. Originally from London, Ninety Percent creates most of its clothes with low-impact, vegan materials and shares 80 percent of its profits with charitable causes and 10 percent with its staff. In addition to womenswear, the retailer also offers products that promote green living, such as greeting cards made from recycled paper and reusable food wraps.
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