An Environmentally Aware Swedish Entrepreneur in Hong Kong- Interview by Colin Rampton

Sheung Wan is an interesting area of Hong Kong. Just one MTR stop to the west of noisy Central, it is totally different in character from its modern and bustling neighbor. Sheung Wan contains old Chinese medicine stores, antique and curio shops, the Man Ho temple and the famous Cat Street market. The labyrinth of streets and alleys, many very steep, have not changed for years. It was after climbing the steps of aptly named Ladder Street, that I arrived at a bar in Hollywood Road to keep my appointment with the charismatic Rebecka Lundin.

 

Rebecka lives in Sheung Wan and catches a double decker tram to work in Wan Chai every morning. These trams are unique to Hong Kong Island and they have been slowly trundling along their narrow-gauge lines for more than 100 years. Perhaps her slow journey to work is Rebecka’s thinking time, for to say that Rebecka lives a busy life is an understatement. As well as working as a sourcing manager for a very well known Swedish brand, Rebecka finds the time to run three businesses as well as the to sing in Choirs and attend a class in the mysterious Chinese Art of ‘feng-shui’.

The largest of the three companies is called Chinese Whispers, where Rebecka was a founding partner with her local friend Carol Lee. This is a successful online sales forum, which sources and supplies Home-decoration, such as Ginger jars, Porcelain stools, lamps, artifacts and jewelry from various artist and locations around Asia.

It’s also the biggest webstore if you are looking for that perfect leaving present, millstone birthday present or special occasion gift.

Rebecka also founded her Footprint Sock company in 2016 after realizing there was a gap in the market for hard-wearing yoga and Pilate socks with a unique anti slide system. She used her skills in fashion design to come up with a unique individually grip, that no other socks has in the market. The socks have proved very popular and have been sold in Yoga, Pilates studios and chiropody practices accross the world.

But Rebecka’s first creation and perhaps the one nearest to her heart is Swedish’s Handmade Bodycare which began in her kitchen but has expanded considerably.

 

Rebecka has many friends from all nationalities and her nickname in Hong Kong is“Swedish” which gave the name to her bodycare business. She is intensely proud of the purity of her ingredients and clearly states that the naturalness of her products has no chemicals or preservatives. This means you need to consider it just as you do with food and that it has an expiry date. Todays modern customers desire to only use natural, pure oils and it has encouraged Rebecka to produce an increasing number of items – including Shower-gel, lip-balm, hand-cream, makeup remover, Soy scented candles and much more.

As well as selling on-line and to loyal customers, Rebecka is a regular participant in temporary “Pop-ups”, Farmers markets and Christmas fairs.

Rebecka looks young but she has a wealth of life experience, including living in five different countries. After her early days in Stockholm, she relocated to London and studied for a BA HONS at the London College of Fashion. She lived in London for 10 years working as a designer in the fashion industry.

But her itchy feet, her adventurous nature and the knowledge of the ‘opening up’ of China led her to Hong Kong.

Her experience in London was invaluable, and she soon secured a job as a product developer for one of the biggest Swedish retailers in their Hong kong office.

Through the years she has been working on many different levels of the fashion industry and with many well-known retailer brands on her merit list, her sourcing and product developing roles, has made her travel intensively all around Asia.

Hong Kong became her base, but spells of living and working in India and China added to her life experiences.

Rebecka clearly has the travel bug and her work with sourcing in the fashion industry, involves regular trips to China,Vietnam, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India. She researches clothing factories to ensure that the highest standards are maintained, that rules are obeyed, and exploitation eliminated. The company has a high reputation for its care of the environment, and it encourages the use of sustainable and organic fabrics.

Rebecka grew up in Stockholm within a loving family, one of three daughters. She has a fraternal twin and a sister just one and a half years older. She was educated at a Waldorf School, which follows the innovative educational principles of Rudolph Steiner. She fondly recalls walking to school with her sisters through a forest. She feels that the freedom and creativity which was encouraged during her learning at the Waldorf school, helped her to develop an independence and confidence which have stood her in good stead during adulthood. Rebecka comes across as an articulate, intelligent lady with high principles. She clearly likes to get things done and does not waste time. Her achievements are impressive.

Rebecka is proud of her Swedish heritage and she visits her homeland regularly as also having a Country House outside Stockholm. She loves to spend as much as possible there, with all her family around. She has a high regard for Stockholm and recognizes it as a leading player in the fashion industry.

“Often Fashion Trends and hairstyles develop in Stockholm long before London or even New York.”

Rebecka’s experiences in some of the poorer parts of the world have made her humble and grateful for the life she lives, and appreciate her Swedish heritage she feels lucky that she is from a country where people are well educated and health conscious. She misses Sweden’s clean air and beautiful countryside and her mother’s home cooking. But she does not miss the cold winters when darkness descends at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.

For the present Hong Kong is her established home and despite the recent political troubles, she has no plans to leave. She was not phased when she arrived here alone 18 years ago. The intervening time has seen her make many international friends and to share her passion to provide people with good quality goods, while caring for the environment.

 

After a very enjoyable couple of hours in Rebecka’s company I descended Ladder Street to Sheung Wan MTR station and set off for home. It was a pleasure to spend time with this talented and exuberant Swedish lady.