It ain't fashion, if it ain't sustainable

Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel

PRESS RELEASE / Announcement

27 September 2024

2 minutes

Jeanologia, aligned with HKRITA’s values, is part of the Open Lab ecosystem, contributing its technology and R&D to advance the Green Machine project.

Jeanologia Joins Forces with HKRITA and the H&M Foundation in the New Open Lab in Hong Kong

Valencia, Spain: Jeanologia has joined the Open Lab initiative, a project led by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and the H&M Foundation. The initiative aims to create a dynamic hub for the entire textile value chain, driving innovations to tackle the challenges of climate change.

Located in Hong Kong’s Advanced...

Climate Action / Open Lab

5 September 2024

3 minutes

The Green Machine 2.0 is a technology that can separate post-consumer polyester and cotton blends through hydrothermal treatment, enabling much-needed recycling of blend textiles.

HKRITA, H&M Foundation Launch Open Lab to Focus on Climate Action and Industry Collaboration

Open Lab, a 20,000 sq ft facility, launched by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) and the H&M Foundation, is set to become a global hub for sustainable innovation, focusing on climate action and industry-wide collaboration to showcase solutions and ongoing research to enable industry to quickly adjust, iterate, pilot and scale faster.

Staff Writer

Going Circular / Recycling Tech

6 February 2024

3 minutes

Cotton yarn (prototype production) made of 50% fibres defibrated using Dry Fiber Technology.

HKRITA, Epson to Develop New Fibre Recycling Solution

In a move to provide speedy recycling solution for industry applications, the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited (HKRITA) and Seiko Epson Corporation have inked an agreement to develop an innovative fibre recycling solution.

Staff Writer

Microfibre Pollution / Sound Solution

17 April 2023

2 minutes

Acousweep utilises sweeping acoustic waves in a specially shaped chamber to physically trap and separate microplastic fibres from wastewater effectively. No chemical, solvent or biological additives are needed.

HKRITA Taps into Sound Waves to Reduce Microplastic Pollution

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has tapped into high frequency ultrasound to remove polluting microplastics from textile-apparel manufacturing facilities, preventing them from going into the sea and further damaging marine life.

Staff Writer

Textile Waste / Garment Sorting

16 February 2023

2 minutes

Looper aims to become a preferred feedstock provider to companies and innovators engaged in textile resale and recycling. Looper is starting its operations in Europe and aims to extend the highest use of approximately 40 million garments during 2023.

H&M Expands Horizons, Gets into Sorting and Collecting Used and Unwanted Textiles and Apparel

In yet another step towards sustainability, Looper Textile Co, a new standalone venture by H&M Group with German MNC Remondis, will now collect, sort and sell used and unwanted garments and textiles, thereby extending the highest use of valuable resources.

Staff Writer

Microfibre Pollution / Solutions

1 February 2023

2 minutes

Acousweep is an environment-friendly approach compared to the current treatment of microplastics.

The Latest from HKRITA is Acousweep: A Microplastic Fibre Separation System Using Sweeping Acoustic Waves

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has developed a separation system to capture microplastic fibres in water by using acoustic manipulation techniques. In addition to treating wastewater generated from the textiles and apparel industries, the Acousweep can be applied to other industry sectors for microplastic collection.

Staff Writer

Textile Recycling / Green Machine

17 October 2022

6 minutes

The Green Machine is licensed by HKRITA at cost price, meaning it only covers their costs with no extra margins. For H&M Foundation and HKRITA this open-source approach is key to reach maximum impact and to transform the fashion industry.

HKRITA’s Green Machine is Breakthrough that Recycling of Blended Textiles Needed, at Scale

The ITMF award that the Green Machine received in September is only the latest feather in its decorated cap. Developed by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), the Green Machine has been making waves since its launch in 2016. Katherine Chan, Director (Business Development) at HKRITA, talks about the challenges that had to be encountered, and the excitement that the Green Machine has generated.

Subir Ghosh

Interview

ITMF Awards / Green Machine

21 September 2022

2 minutes

Green Machine is a polyester and cellulose recycling system by hydrothermal treatment and dissolution treatment on cotton and polyester blends. Through decomposing cotton into cellulose powders, it enables the separation of the polyester fibres from the blends. The quality of the polyester fibres is maintained, permitting fibre-to-fibre recycling.

HKRITA Gets ITMF Award for Green Machine, Its 5th Award Since 2016 Launch

The Green Machine of the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has won an ITMF Award for Sustainability and Innovation. Through separation of the blended textile, Green Machine recovers PET fibre for re-spinning, even as it converts cotton fibre into cellulosic powder for a number of uses.

Staff Writer

Leatherwear / Regeneration

29 July 2022

2 minutes

The reaction process retains the chromium as chromium III, thereby minimising its conversion to chromium VI. The regenerated leather has sufficient mechanical properties to allow it to be used in the manufacture of new leather products.

HKRITA Regenerates Bio-based Leather from Leather Waste

A novel bio-based approach to obtaining sheets of regenerated leather has been developed by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) that separates, categorises and recycles post-consumer leather products.

Staff Writer

Recycling / G2G System

17 June 2022

6 minutes

The recycling process can be configured in a 40-foot container, including the 3-in-1 Integrated Opening-Cleaning-Carding System with AI algorithms to optimise the system.

HKRITA Shows Garment-to-Garment Recycling Can Be Done, But Industry Yet to Catch Up

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel's (HKRITA) novel Garment-to-Garment (G2G) Recycle System shows that integral and closed-loop garment recycling can indeed be done, and sans any water and chemicals, but no big-time manufacturer or brand has been able to use this innovation at the industrial or mass scale. A texfash.com Special.

Subir Ghosh

Report