HOW HONG KONG IS LEADING THE CHARGE TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE FASHION REVOLUTION
By: Prachi Khatri
As commitment to conscious consumerism increases, people are drawn to ethical fashion that doesn’t harm the environment. Many products and industries across globe are shifting to innovative technology. The demand of green products with less risk to harming our planet is higher than ever.
Hong Kong is leading the charge in sustainable fashion as it redefines the fashion industry by fusing eco-friendly sentiments with state-of-the-art technology. From smart recycling techniques to chic brands, the city is all about doing better, looking good and saving the planet all at once.
Source: HK Fashion summit website
Although people around the world are showing concern for the environment, pollution and resource waste, their support for sustainable fashion varies. According to research by KPMG International, seventy-one percent of Hong Kong’s net population supports the concept of sustainability as compared to only fifty-five percent of New Yorkers. Historically, the city has always been a hub for manufacturing and innovation, making it crucial for sustainable fashion.
The clothing industry is one of the largest employers in Hong Kong, with 410 manufacturing establishments and more than 2500 workers. Most fashion companies face challenges in production and raw material costs when it comes to sustainable fashion. However, Hong Kong surpasses those challenges due to the availability of cheap raw materials and manufacturing costs.
Sustainable Fashion Gets Real
Hong Kong is not just talking the talk but walking the walk. In November 2024, the Hong Kong Fashion Summit arrived with an ambitious mandate to transform sustainable fashion into a mainstream concept for business. Its Fashion Summit’s theme, “Power Up Sustainable Fashion Business, was a strategic approach in repositioning Hong Kong as a creative fashion hub with eco-consciousness on the world platform. The city invited 20 speakers from all over to discuss the various challenges in adapting sustainability.
Hong Kong understands its competitive advantage in sustainable fashion, and the fashion summit is a step closer towards its sustainability goals. It is the city’s high-tech solutions helping the fashion industry reduce waste, cut carbon dioxide emissions, and fight climate change. The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) is the first to provide a commercially viable solution to separate cotton and polyester from blended fabrics and recycle each.
Source: HK financial services development council website
How is this a game changer? Imagine you feed old garments into a long container and in exchange you receive clean cloth that is wearable and new as ever at the end. Thanks to HKRITA’s hydrothermal recycling process that turns polyester into new and cotton into cellulose powder that can be used in other products. It's only one of the high-tech solutions that Hong Kong has pioneered.
Brands like H&M are already adapting to HKRITA’s innovation in recycling clothes and launched a collection for its youth brand Monki in 2020. The entire collection featured recycled clothes. Also, Hong Kong scientists have worked on the creation of biofabrics to advance carbon-absorbing t-shirts and recycling silk technology. According to International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group, the global cellulose market might be worth US $49 billion by 2028 and increasing 8.3% every year.
Source: HKRITA website
Going from a major textile manufacturer in the 1950s to a sourcing center, Hong Kong has advantage in taking next role as a source of innovation and solutions for the fashion industry. Various homegrown brands like The R Collective, Good Days Activewear, and PYE are not just making cool clothes in Hong Kong but leading the charge in eco-friendly fashion. Good Day Activewear uses recycled plastic bottles to create high-performance activewear.
Putting money into education and workshops and collaborating with brands like Redress to keep clothing waste out of landfills. Hong Kong is already making an impact and providing sustainable solutions to the world of fashion.
Cover Image: bady abbas / @bady