Marjorie Yang

Esquel Group cranks out 100 million cotton shirts every year for the likes of J. Crew and Tommy Hilfiger—and Yang has run it since 1995. The private company increased its revenue by 6% last year. Lately, Yang and her daughter Dee Poon, who runs the company’s PYE brand, have also become environmental activists, launching an initiative called the “Integral Conversation” that aims to bring business leaders together to discuss sustainability. For Yang, it’s not just talk: the Esquel Group has reduced its own energy consumption by 43% and water use by 57% from 2005 to 2014. —Claire Groden