HKRITA Joins Hands with Mainland Partners to Advance Industrial Development

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has been expanding its collaboration network in Chinese Mainland, accelerating the commercialisation of research outcomes. These efforts have led to significant progress.

Showcasing at a Key Mainland Forum – Green Machine Selected as a Shanghai Outstanding ESG

Case

On 28 April, Mr Jake Koh, Chief Executive Officer of HKRITA joined a roundtable session at the 2026 Corporate Sustainability Development Conference in Shanghai. Together with leaders from the finance, building materials and food manufacturing sectors, Mr Koh discussed how to build sustainable supply chains through end-to-end carbon reduction and cross-industry collaboration. Participants shared challenges in decarbonisation and supply chain management, explored pathways for cross-sector cooperation, and looked ahead to digital monitoring, carbon footprint transparency and long-term strategies for sustainable supply chains.

At the same event, Green Machine, HKRITA’s flagship innovation, was selected as one of the 20 “Shanghai Outstanding ESG Cases”. This honour underscores the industry’s confidence in the Green Machine’s role in advancing circular innovation. As a research institute, we are committed to advancing the implementation of ESG principles across industries through R&D, and we continue to drive sustainable transformation in the industry through technologies. The Green Machine uses hydrothermal treatment to separate and recycle blended polyester-cotton waste, solving a long-standing technical bottleneck in the industry. By enabling closed-loop recycling, it extends material lifecycles while reducing carbon emissions and pollution. It also fosters collaboration among raw material suppliers, manufacturers and brands, delivering broad environmental, social and governance benefits.

The Corporate Sustainability Development Conference brought together representatives from the Shanghai Municipal Government (such as Mr Shen Weihua, Director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce), international organisations (such as Mr Stephen Jackson, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in China), and leading enterprises (such as Ms Park Jee Seon, Chief Sustainability Officer of CN & NA, L'Oréal Group) to engage in high-level dialogue on global ESG strategies and practices. The release of the ESG Case List, which included HKRITA alongside global companies such as BASF and DuPont, underscored the authority and influence of the platform in advancing environmental protection, social responsibility and corporate governance.

Partnership with Chengdu Qinggong Polytechnic University – Memorandum of Cooperation Signing to Drive Research Commercialisation

On April 23, HKRITA welcomed in Open Lab two representatives from Chengdu Qinggong Polytechnic University, Associate Dean Zhang Zhengyuan of the School of Light Industry and Material and Professor Qin Jun of the Engineering Centre. The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Technology Transfer Services, covering talent development, product development and start-up incubation. This marks the first time that Chengdu Qinggong Polytechnic University has signed an international research cooperation memorandum with a research institute in Hong Kong, China. The partnership aims to strengthen connections across the textile value chain, promote information exchange, technology sharing and capacity complementarity. It also aligns with the directions of the National 15th Five-Year Plan to reinforce industry-academic-research integration and technology transfer.

Chengdu Qinggong Polytechnic University is a key training base for high-skilled talent in the textile and apparel sector. With strong research platforms and a focus on smart and green development, the institution plays an important role in nurturing professionals and driving innovation.

Mr Jake Koh, CEO of HKRITA, said, “the success of the Green Machine demonstrates HKRITA’s achievement in green innovation and circular technology. Our participation in the Corporate Sustainability Development Conference not only brought recognition for our technology but also enabled valuable exchanges with leaders from diverse industries on supply chain decarbonisation, technology application and market development. At the same time, our collaboration with Chengdu Qinggong Polytechnic University expands the synergy between Hong Kong’s research strengths and mainland industrial resources, accelerating technology transfer and fostering cross-sector collaboration. It also responds to the 15th Five-Year Plan’s emphasis on green upgrading and high-quality development.”