Displaying its technical expertise in textiles and clothing, the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) won nine awards for all its entries at the Special Edition 2022 Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days. In all, the event received over 785 novel submissions from 25 countries, including three Gold Medals and six Silver Medals.
“All innovations displayed by HKRITA' address global sustainability challenges faced by the textile, apparel, and fashion industries,” says Edwin Keh, CEO. The HKRITA projects that received awards are:
Customized comfort bra
One innovation that bagged a gold medal was a customized bra for women suffering from mastectomy. Boasting of a sophisticated design and 3D material engineering, this bra offers relief women from potential health problems and psychological pressures during recovery.
Regenerative leather system
The second innovation to bag a gold medal was a regenerative leather system for recycling post-consumer leather products. The whole post-consumer leather product is transformed into a soluble salt or complex compound and the obtained regenerative leather is water-resistant and biodegradable.
Flexible Loop Structure Technology
Developed by HKRITA in association with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and InLab Innovation, this new 3D printed flexible loop stitching technology helps produce stretchable materials for furniture components. Winner of a gold medal, this technology introduces a knitting structure to extend the application of 3D printing technology in furniture manufacturing.
Vertical Hydroponic Cultivation
Aimed to help farmers grow extra-long staple cotton at a significantly lower production cost, this cultivation method was awarded a silver medal in the agriculture-horticulture and gardening category. This new farming method uses a host of devices to control air and water flow, temperature and humidity and nano-bubble generation to deliver more oxygen for the ELS cotton.
Microplastic fiber separation system
The second innovation to bag a silver medal at the event included Acousweep, an innovative microplastic fiber separation system to preserve water quality during water treatment. The system uses sweeping acoustic waves and a specially shaped chamber to trap and recover microplastic fibres effectively.
Biological indigo dye removal system
Winner of a silver medal, this biological post treatment method helps remove indigo blue dye in wastewater from denim factories. The system breaks down dyes in in wastewater through the enzymes produced in the metabolism of the macroalgae species such as Cladophora and Chaetomorpha. This system also offers a cost-effective, energy-efficient and eco friendly solution to reduce wastewater dye pollutants from denim factories.
Waterless decolourization and durability treatment method
This chemical-free and waterless treatment method improves the durability and longevity of post consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) textiles by increasing their temperature to 230oC for 8 hours. It also increases their molecular weight by 200 per cent and decolorization by 98 per cent. The process also recycles PET fibers through decolorization, molecular weight enhancement and improving improvement.
Yarn-structure technology to improve moisture wicking
HKRITA also launched a new yarn-structure technology to improve moisture wicking at the event. Developed in partnership with PolyU, this technology improves moisture management by deploying physical-based coaxial and counter-rotating yarn wrapping technology.
Viscose fibre production technology
Developed in collaboration with Daiwabo Rayon, this innovative technology involves sustainable production of regenerated composite fibres from recycled cellulose. Organized from March 16 to 20, the ‘Special Edition 2022 Inventions Geneva Evaluation Days’ enabled inventors from all over the world to present their inventions via a 3-minute video to the panel of professional judges.
