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China
Shanghai Qinghe won WEConnect International’s 2022 Rise to the Challenge Manufacturing Award sponsored by Merck.
While many people think that artificial intelligence will change the world, Jie Chen is proof that it already is.
After completing graduate school in the U.S., Jie worked in Silicon Valley briefly for a year before returning to China to eventually take on the CTO role of Shanghai Qinghe Clothing Co., Ltd., a uniform manufacturing business her parents founded in 1996. Jie’s mother, Sharon Sun, is the current Chairman and CEO and majority owner of the company, but Jie is effectively running the business.
She had big plans to revolutionize the business—and the manufacturing industry as a whole—by streamlining the uniform sizing process with an artificial intelligence (AI) application she developed. So far, the results have been very encouraging: in almost 10 years she has tripled Shanghai Qinghe’s growth from US$2 million in annual revenues in 2013 to US$6 million in revenue today. With approximately 60 employees, Jie’s business not only serves the hotel industry across China, but also exports products to Japan, Korea, U.S., Canada and several countries in Europe.
Jie explains that it’s all about balance. “I am most proud of bringing artificial intelligence to a traditional industry,” she reflects. “I firmly believe in respecting tradition and not breaking down historic systems, yet I also understand that innovation is meant to improve, and we can create greater efficiency with new technologies.”
Based in Shanghai, Shanghai Qinghe has been supplying uniforms to five-star hotels for more than 20 years. “In China, we make uniforms in a very traditional way,” she explains. “First, we design, then select the fabric and make a sample. Next, we measure each employee by hand and customize each product before producing and shipping.”
This process is quite tedious, usually taking between three and six months. But Jie knew that with her technology, she could cut the time down to only one to two weeks, thus significantly reducing both cost and labor. This online customization tool, Uniform Purchase (UP), relies on individuals to take photos of themselves on a smart phone using a photographic body-measuring system—effectively selfies for sizing.
Now her hotel clients can order and receive new sets of uniforms in a fraction of the time without any of the inconvenience of in-person fittings. And because of the efficiencies, Jie can offer her clients smaller-scale orders as new employees are hired or small batches are required—another norm-busting business strategy. To stay competitive, Jie ensures that the price per uniform is the same regardless of whether a client orders 1, 100 or 1000 uniforms.
Despite Jie’s upbeat attitude, she shares that it hasn’t always been easy, particularly as a female CEO. She has come against the gender barrier time and again, working in the heavily male-dominated manufacturing business, as well as within the development field of AI. One investor once directly told Jie that he would never put his money into a women-owned company.
That’s why she’s grateful to be part of WEConnect International—which she joined in 2013 upon the recommendation of Marriott International, one of Shanghai Qinghe’s clients—a network that believes in, supports and celebrates women-owned companies like hers.
As a direct result of the network, Jie was introduced to Hilton, which is now a client, and she has met many other companies seeking to go beyond the traditional uniform and explore new product lines like t-shirts, polos and blazers. Jie is thrilled that Shanghai Qinghe’s efficient, dynamic production enables clients to be flexible and nimble with their design ideas.
She doesn’t plan to stop with just the hotel industry, however. In the future, she plans to expand Shanghai Qinghe to also produce daily wear. Jie paints a vivid picture of the future as people go into one of her stores, design a clothing item on a screen, and pick it up in an hour or two. Although the concept is daunting, Jie thinks that in the next couple of years, she should have the technology to make it a reality. Shopping for clothes will become an entirely different experience.
Jie believes that these types of changes will revitalize the manufacturing industry by making it a more exciting career path for younger generations. “Whether it’s designing fashion-forward uniforms or creative ideation for any number products that exist—or maybe haven’t even been invented yet—we need young people to see that they can play a role in the future of clothing,” Jie says confidently.
Based on her progress thus far, it is highly likely that Jie will be at the forefront of this movement.
Shanghai Qinghe won WEConnect International’s 2022 Rise to the Challenge Manufacturing Award sponsored by Merck.
While many people think that artificial intelligence will change the world, Jie Chen is proof that it already is.
After completing graduate school in the U.S., Jie worked in Silicon Valley briefly for a year before returning to China to eventually take on the CTO role of Shanghai Qinghe Clothing Co., Ltd., a uniform manufacturing business her parents founded in 1996. Jie’s mother, Sharon Sun, is the current Chairman and CEO and majority owner of the company, but Jie is effectively running the business.
She had big plans to revolutionize the business—and the manufacturing industry as a whole—by streamlining the uniform sizing process with an artificial intelligence (AI) application she developed. So far, the results have been very encouraging: in almost 10 years she has tripled Shanghai Qinghe’s growth from US$2 million in annual revenues in 2013 to US$6 million in revenue today. With approximately 60 employees, Jie’s business not only serves the hotel industry across China, but also exports products to Japan, Korea, U.S., Canada and several countries in Europe.
Jie explains that it’s all about balance. “I am most proud of bringing artificial intelligence to a traditional industry,” she reflects. “I firmly believe in respecting tradition and not breaking down historic systems, yet I also understand that innovation is meant to improve, and we can create greater efficiency with new technologies.”
Based in Shanghai, Shanghai Qinghe has been supplying uniforms to five-star hotels for more than 20 years. “In China, we make uniforms in a very traditional way,” she explains. “First, we design, then select the fabric and make a sample. Next, we measure each employee by hand and customize each product before producing and shipping.”
This process is quite tedious, usually taking between three and six months. But Jie knew that with her technology, she could cut the time down to only one to two weeks, thus significantly reducing both cost and labor. This online customization tool, Uniform Purchase (UP), relies on individuals to take photos of themselves on a smart phone using a photographic body-measuring system—effectively selfies for sizing.
Now her hotel clients can order and receive new sets of uniforms in a fraction of the time without any of the inconvenience of in-person fittings. And because of the efficiencies, Jie can offer her clients smaller-scale orders as new employees are hired or small batches are required—another norm-busting business strategy. To stay competitive, Jie ensures that the price per uniform is the same regardless of whether a client orders 1, 100 or 1000 uniforms.
Despite Jie’s upbeat attitude, she shares that it hasn’t always been easy, particularly as a female CEO. She has come against the gender barrier time and again, working in the heavily male-dominated manufacturing business, as well as within the development field of AI. One investor once directly told Jie that he would never put his money into a women-owned company.
That’s why she’s grateful to be part of WEConnect International—which she joined in 2013 upon the recommendation of Marriott International, one of Shanghai Qinghe’s clients—a network that believes in, supports and celebrates women-owned companies like hers.
As a direct result of the network, Jie was introduced to Hilton, which is now a client, and she has met many other companies seeking to go beyond the traditional uniform and explore new product lines like t-shirts, polos and blazers. Jie is thrilled that Shanghai Qinghe’s efficient, dynamic production enables clients to be flexible and nimble with their design ideas.
She doesn’t plan to stop with just the hotel industry, however. In the future, she plans to expand Shanghai Qinghe to also produce daily wear. Jie paints a vivid picture of the future as people go into one of her stores, design a clothing item on a screen, and pick it up in an hour or two. Although the concept is daunting, Jie thinks that in the next couple of years, she should have the technology to make it a reality. Shopping for clothes will become an entirely different experience.
Jie believes that these types of changes will revitalize the manufacturing industry by making it a more exciting career path for younger generations. “Whether it’s designing fashion-forward uniforms or creative ideation for any number products that exist—or maybe haven’t even been invented yet—we need young people to see that they can play a role in the future of clothing,” Jie says confidently.
Based on her progress thus far, it is highly likely that Jie will be at the forefront of this movement.
