Wendy Lam, founder of EzyGreenPak, isn’t your typical entrepreneur. Raised in her family’s garment factory in Hong Kong, she saw the environmental toll of packaging firsthand. “Growing up in the manufacturing environment… I have witnessed the pollution of the packaging since I was a child,” she recalls. This early exposure sparked her passion for sustainability, carving her path from a second-generation factory heir to a pioneer of eco-friendly innovation.

Launched in mid-2023, EzyGreenPak represents Wendy’s mission to tackle industrial inefficiencies with sustainable solutions. The start-up specializes in water-soluble, non-woven fabric made from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a biodegradable material known for its durability and versatility. But Wendy’s vision goes beyond products—she’s committed to transparency, using a digital platform to reveal each item’s environmental footprint. “I really want to tell our corporate customers where the product comes from,” she explains. For Wendy, EzyGreenPak isn’t just a business—it’s part of a larger movement to rethink how we value what we consume.

Before founding EzyGreenPak, Wendy built a diverse career in sustainability, ESG and technology, working with start-ups in green tech and property tech, alongside global corporations. Her studies in international business management in Scotland introduced her to Western perspectives on sustainability, contrasting sharply with her father’s traditional manufacturing mindset. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as garment orders slowed, Wendy seized the chance to innovate. Partnering with the South China University of Technology, she blended heritage and ambition to reformulate PVA into a market-ready fabric, launching EzyGreenPak to promote her own sustainable brand rather than continuing her family’s OEM legacy.

Wendy’s philosophy hinges on a link between transparency and sustainability, forged by her childhood observations in the garment factory. “I have witnessed workers working very hard on a single product,” she reveals. “As a manufacturer, we only earn a little bit, but when we sell to a brand or retailer, they can sell it for ten times more.” This disparity drove her to create a system where supply chain realities are laid bare, empowering consumers and businesses alike.

EzyGreenPak reflects this philosophy. Beyond its water-soluble packaging, Wendy and her brother—a programmer—developed a platform to track each product’s carbon footprint. “We can calculate the energy usage and water usage…and compare with the traditional plastic bag based on product end of life,” she notes, highlighting how their material sidesteps the long-term waste of plastics and the water-heavy production of cotton. This data-driven transparency meets a growing demand for accountability, a shift Wendy deems critical: “The market chain is changing… the new generation cares about that.”

Her focus on transparency stems from a desire to connect people to the stories behind their purchases. “When you buy an item, you don’t really know the story behind the product,” she reflects. EzyGreenPak’s tote bags aren’t just eco-friendly—they’re tools to spark conversations about sustainability and labor. By merging tangible innovation with digital insight, Wendy ensures her start-up doesn’t just reduce harm but educates and builds trust, redefining what sustainability means in practice.

Overcoming Challenges: Transforming PVA into a Sustainable Solution
Turning PVA into a durable, water-soluble fabric was no small feat. Wendy first encountered PVA in her father’s factory, where it was used as a transparent plastic garment bag. But its flaws were evident: “When the weather is very moist or humid, the packaging sticks together. It’s very hard for our workers,” she recalls. Seeing its potential, she partnered with Professor Cui Yuefei from South China University of Technology to reimagine it.

The process demanded collaboration and persistence. The professor’s team reformulated PVA, while Wendy focused on scaling it for mass production. “Our role is more like a supporting role,” she explains. Unlike typical non-woven fabric equipment, their machines needed custom tweaks to handle PVA’s unique properties. Through trial and error, they crafted a long-woven fabric that balanced texture, strength, and dissolvability—a breakthrough that became EzyGreenPak’s hero product.

This innovation wasn’t just technical; it was personal. “When the team experiments in the lab, it’s different from mass production. We help them to do the mass production to experiment if it is possible,” Wendy says, bridging lab research with factory realities. The result unlocked applications like shopping bags and food packaging, proving sustainable materials could rival traditional plastics. Her resolve turned a flawed material into a game-changer, cementing EzyGreenPak’s place in eco-innovation.

Championing Sustainability in a Fast Fashion World
Wendy’s dislike for fast fashion stems from its inequities, shaped by her factory upbringing. “I don’t like fast fashion because they sell it very cheap… how much from the $100 will go to the worker?” she asks. She critiques how profits favor branding over fair labor: “It’s the same quality, the same material, but with a different logo, different branding, different marketing…and they will mark the price up.” This exploitation, alongside fast fashion’s environmental damage, fuels her mission.

EzyGreenPak challenges this cycle by offering sustainable alternatives that last. Wendy’s advice to consumers is practical: “Buy what you need.” She recognizes fast fashion’s ubiquity but urges mindfulness—her goal isn’t to eliminate it, but to shift habits toward value-driven consumption, using transparency to expose the true cost of cheap clothing and promote options that respect both people and the planet.

A Runner’s Resilience: Lessons from the Marathon Trail
Wendy’s identity as a runner mirrors her entrepreneurial grit. A regular marathoner, she sees parallels between racing and building EzyGreenPak. “It’s the same concept… there’s always a long way to go, and you feel so tired—you always want to give up,” she reflects. This resilience sustains her through start-up challenges, from rejections to self-doubt.

Running offers more than endurance—it’s a source of joy and clarity. “The happiest moment is not when you achieve the target, it’s when you almost achieve it,” she says. This mindset fuels her incremental approach to EzyGreenPak, celebrating small wins like client support or avoiding 500 tons of CO₂. She’s pragmatic too, setting a three-year target to assess success: “If I can’t meet the target… I would probably consider another alternative option… If I fail, I still have a story to tell.”

Her love for running began with a challenge. “I’m the kind of person who likes challenges,” she laughs. “Once I have a target, I really want to achieve it.” Crossing the finish line brings pride—“I can’t believe I can do it”—a feeling she channels into her business. Whether on the pavement or pitching to clients, Wendy’s runner’s spirit drives her forward, proving that persistence can turn vision into reality.

Bridging Generations: Family Dynamics in Entrepreneurship
Working with family has tested and strengthened Wendy’s resolve. Her father, a traditional manufacturer, initially dismissed sustainability. “He doesn’t really think that sustainability or transparency is very important… making enough money to give the salary to the worker, that is their first priority,” she says. Convincing him took effort: “I had to brainwash my dad to tell him why this is important.”

Their collaboration blends his expertise with her innovation. “My family has a background in production and experience in manufacturing,” she notes. Yet, tensions arise: “It’s not 100% happy all the time… we’re from different generations and there’s always a communication gap.” Wendy has since learned to treat him like a coworker—“more polite”—to keep peace.

The joy lies in mutual growth. “They understand now that there’s value,” she says of her father’s gradual acceptance. This partnership, though rocky, is a testament to how family can evolve from tradition to transformation, bolstering Wendy’s vision with their factory’s legacy.

A Legacy of Connection: Redefining Value Through Tangible Products
Wendy envisions a future where everyday products become bridges between people, fostering appreciation for the labor and lives behind them. “My ultimate goal is to use a tangible product to connect people,” she says. This took root during a transformative chapter of her life: two months spent working in a Cambodian garment and accessory factory five years ago, shortly after graduating from university. Sent by a supportive boss, she stepped into a world that reframed her view on manufacturing and consumption.

In Cambodia, Wendy experienced a stark contrast to Hong Kong. “When you go to Cambodia… even when you give them lunch, they were so happy,” she recalls. This gratitude struck her deeply. Coming from a bustling city, she hadn’t anticipated how modest gestures could carry such weight. “I did something very small… but they will see it as a very big thing for their life,” she reflects. These interactions revealed the stakes of factory work: “This job can help a lot of families… you see the real smile on their face.” For Wendy, it was a revelation—each garment stitched wasn’t just a product, but a lifeline supporting Cambodian families, their joy a testament to the ripple effects of her industry.

Living among the workers, Wendy saw beyond the factory. “Some of the workers… they just want to earn money for their family. They also have a very touching story,” she says. As a consumer, she realized these stories remained invisible: “I’m wearing a jacket now. I have no way to understand who made my jacket for me… where the material comes from, the manufacturer, the worker.” This disconnect drives her resolve to bridge the gap. “Once you have experienced life in a Cambodian factory, you will see that one item can help a lot of families,” she explains, a lesson that underscores the core purpose of EzyGreenPak.

Beyond Bags: Pioneering Change Through Purpose
This vision propels EzyGreenPak beyond bags. Wendy is exploring new sustainable materials, like transparent, plastic-free FSC paper for food packaging. “We want to expand our product category,” she says, aiming to reduce environmental footprints while amplifying human stories. Her digital platform, set to scale globally, will further this goal by offering transparency into production impacts. Reflecting on Cambodia, Wendy believes small actions can spark big shifts: “A very small step can change people’s mindset.” Her legacy isn’t merely in eco-innovation but in redefining value—turning purchases into partnerships between makers and users, inspired by the smiles she saw in a factory 900 miles away from home.

Wendy’s journey with EzyGreenPak is a testament to purpose-driven innovation. From her garment factory roots to sustainability leadership, she has turned personal insight into action. “At least I’m doing something good,” she says of her impact. Challenging fast fashion and opaque supply chains, Wendy models resilience and transparency. As EzyGreenPak grows, her vision of products that connect and sustain lights the way for a greener, more equitable future.