News

Dr Di Fan in Vogue Business

The globalization progress has been seriously challenged in recent years, which has severe impacts on the global supply chain. Recently, the US government accused the Xinjiang cotton industry of using  forced labour and subsequently issued a withhold release order (WRO) on cotton products from Xinjiang, China. Dr Di Fan, Assistant Professor of ITC, was interviewed by Vogue Business on the impacts of this new customs measure on the global fashion supply chain. Dr Fan stated that, “We have not seen a significant impact so far, and we do not see significant changes in future cotton prices in Xinjiang and internationally. “This is probably because the ban on all Xinjiang cotton is very difficult to execute. At best, US Customs can cut-off the direct connection between the US fashion companies and their Xinjiang suppliers. However, it’s very difficult, for both the US government and companies, to track whether textile products, such as curtains and garments, contain cotton materials from Xinjiang.” Despite the absence of immediate impacts on cotton price, Dr Fan states that the measures will affect the global sourcing strategy of multinational fashion companies. “The ban can be viewed as a non-tariff trade barrier of Chinese products to the US market. It adds the risk of supply chain disruptions to the US companies who are sourcing from China.” “To mitigate the risk, the companies might shift their cotton purchasing from China to domestic suppliers, or suppliers in Vietnam and Pakistan.” Dr Fan indicated that the fashion companies nowadays are facing increased political risks in their global operations. Thus, the companies need to rethink widely used business practices in an era of deglobalization. “The fashion companies should rethink the “just-in-time” and change their mind-set about minimal inventory. Safety stock is increasingly important nowadays to buffer for supply chain disruptions. Diversifying supply bases are effective to keep firms running when supply glitches occur in the suppliers located in a particular region”. “The fashion companies should also increase their supply chain visibility by conducting audit and monitoring programs on their suppliers. Such programs are essential for maintaining an ethical fashion supply chain. The evidence collected is also useful for the companies to demonstrate their commitment to establish a sustainable supply for both the public and regulators.” For the full story, please visit https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/us-ban-cotton-xinjiang

ITC welcomes new Research Assistant Professors

ITC is pleased to welcome the following new Research Assistant Professors to the academic team. Fashion & Textile Technology – Chemistry Dr Qiyao Huang earned both her BA and PhD degrees in Textile Technology from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Her interest centres on developing flexible and wearable electronics based on textile materials by combining conventional textile techniques with advanced materials and nanotechnology. Her research topics include metallic textiles and textile-based electrochemical energy storage and sensing devices.Fashion & Textile Technology – Textiles Dr Ying Ji obtained her PhD degree in fiber science from Cornell University in the US. She received her BSc and MSc in polymer science and engineering from Zhejiang University in China. Prior to joining the Institute of Textiles and Clothing, she worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology at the University of California in Los Angeles, US. Her research focus includes developing biodegradable polymeric materials and studying the biodegradation of post-consumer plastic products. Her research interests also involve functional materials for drug delivery and biomedical applications. Fashion & Textile Design Dr Tsai-chun Huang was Visiting Lecturer at several different design schools prior to joining ITC, including the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), PARSONS, and New York University (NYU), all of which are based in New York, as well as the Royal College of Art (RCA) and Instituto Marangoni, both of which are in London, to demonstrate an innovative pleating method and provide workshops. Recently, he worked in European art festivals, such as the Hull UK City of Culture 2017, and the Prague Quadrennial 2019. Dr Huang’s research focuses on the history of pleats, innovations in pleating technology, and the relationship between materials and the body. Designing costumes for theatre performances which demands a wide range of movement and different levels of durability has honed his observations around daily wear. He has discovered that the expansion and contraction of pleats offer potential new ways of wearing. Cutting-edge technology is also part of Dr Huang’s focus as smart textiles greatly alter the look and function of garments. However, at the same time, he would like to return to the fundamental principles of body based design in fashion and textile research, without blindly chasing technology. Considering people’s life style and habits, how do smart textiles interact with the human body? Why do we need these smart textiles? Have these smart textiles simply become a trend? These critical questions have helped him to reflect on his research work. Dr Haze Ng is an active practitioner in both the design and academic circles, participating in international fashion and textile conferences, museum exhibitions and shows. Dr Ng’s research interests cover narrative and interactive fashion and textile designs; contemporary design philosophies, methodologies and practices; and cross-disciplinary design processes and models.  With a strong interest in sociocultural and artistic design creations, Dr Ng also investigates traditional attire and textile craftsmanship, including authentic men’s cheongsam tailoring and connotative surface embellishments.  Dr Magnum Lam earned his PhD in Fashion Business at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He also holds an MA in Anthropology from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Before joining ITC, Dr Lam was Visiting Scholar at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan (UBCO) and Visiting Fellow at the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI).  His research interests lie in corporate philanthropy, social innovation, fashion consumer behaviors, and symbolic meanings of consumption.

Winners of Techstyle for Social Good International Online Competition 2020

The Techstyle for Social Good International Online Competition 2020 which was organized by The Mills Fabrica and co-organized by ITC announced the winners on 3rd September 2020. Supporting Techstyle Innovations for Social Good Now in its second year, the Techstyle for Social Good Competition supports and celebrates techstyle (technology and lifestyle) innovations from students and graduates from around the world with a focus on apparel/textiles and agri/food tech (a newly added category for 2020). Designed to encourage young innovators to submit their ideas and solutions that are making a positive impact on society for the greater good, the competition saw over 100 submitted projects worldwide from Hong Kong, the US, UK and more. The first of the two categories, apparel/textiles, includes: 1) new materials and supply chain innovations, 2) wearables and products merging technology and design and 3) new retail experiences and platforms. The second category, agri/food tech, is a new addition to the competition this year and includes: 1) agritech – farming management, supply chain and distribution, logistics, transparency and traceability, 2) food tech - novel ingredients and new food brands/products and 3) food retail – platforms, marketplaces, kitchen and retail tech, food waste management and circular solutions. The projects of the entrants were assessed based on 4 key criteria: creativity, sustainability, innovation and impact to society, by a judging panel of renowned industry experts in the apparel/textiles and food tech fields including the Adidas Group, Asia Value Advisors, Bolt Threads, Food-X, H&M Foundation, The Good Food Institute, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel. All of the winners receive essential support to develop their projects including residency at The Mills Fabrica in Hong Kong with mentorship support, access to flexible coworking space, and use of the Fabrica Lab for prototyping and experimentation. They will attend and participate in industry events that involve the partners of The Mills Fabrica and community, and have the opportunity to showcase their work and win cash prizes.

ITC alumnus Enzo Chan launches his first crossover collection at JOYCE

ITC alumnus Enzo Chan (BA 2020), majored in Knitwear Design and Technology, won the 2nd Runner-up and the New Talent Award at the Hong Kong Young Designers’ Contest (YDC) last year. One of his prizes was the mentorship offered by JOYCE Boutique to develop a capsule collection to be sold at one of the JOYCE outlets. The crossover collection is on sale at JOYCE, Pacific Place. After winning the competition he launched his own brand, VO-YAGE, and collaborated with the JOYCE team to create this limited-edition capsule collection. The collection is an evolution of his award-winning collection, SINCE 1996, that builds on the retro and casual wear styling of his original collection. The elegantly designed clothes feature exquisite detailing, such as tops and jackets embroidered with a pattern using personal photographs, a double-sided blazer and corduroy trousers featuring detachable elements. Enzo expressed his sincere appreciation to YDC and JOYCE in developing his first fashion collection, “Through my collaboration with JOYCE, I have learnt a lot about the different ways to operate a fashion label, such as leveraging a brand’s distinctive attributes to meet market demand. Most importantly, the experience has allowed me to determine the potential direction and presentation of my personal brand.” (Photo credits: Hong Kong Young Designers' Contest)  

Videos Available ITC Online Orientation Programme 2020

Prof. Jintu Fan, Head and Chair Professor of ITC, welcomed nearly 300 freshmen of BA and MA programmes at the ITC Orientation on 2 September 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the programme was conducted in online mode. At the programme, freshmen could explore a wide range of opportunities that they may get involved on campus. This was also a valuable occasion for them to get to know ITC and the University services. Videos are available at ITC YouTube Channel now! Part 1 - Welcome Remarks by Prof. Jintu Fan, Head of ITC; Sharing on Workshop Safety and University Health Services    Part 2 - BA (Hons) Scheme in Fashion & Textiles  

ITC Graduation Exhibition 2020 (7 Sept - 11 Nov) - EXHIBITION EXTENDED!

Due to popular demand, the ITC Graduation Exhibition 2020 has been extended until 11 November! The “ITC Graduation Exhibition 2020” will be held inside the PolyU campus, in which 25 graduates’ collections will be exhibited. Please find the details below: Date: 7 September  - 11 November 2020 Time: Monday to Friday 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm - 5:45 pm Venue: The Fashion Gallery (MN109), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

PolyU Fashion Show 2020 – Showing Creative Flair in Fashion Design

Every year, ITC compiles the collections of their graduates and the self-introductions of the finalists into a brochure for the annual PolyU Fashion Show. This year, we have decided to opt for a more eco-friendly means of producing this brochure. We are introducing an online e-brochure; not only will this brochure be more convenient to access, but is also an environmentally friendly move that reduces paper waste. We’re pleased to share the e-brochure with the creative designs of the 17 finalists: Happy Viewing!

PolyU Fashion Online Contest 2020 – Design works of awardees

ITC launched its first PolyU Fashion Online Contest in June this year. People are invited to cast votes for their preferred designs among the collections created by over 60 design students on an online platform. We have created an e-brochure for the awardees of the online contest. To view their creative design works, please click the e-brochure. Happy viewing!

Video Available | ITC Summer Programme Online Mode (19 Aug 2020)

ITC welcomes Dr Di Fan

ITC is pleased to welcome Dr Di Fan to the academic team. He has been recently appointed as Assistant Professor under the Business discipline. Prior to joining ITC, he was Senior Lecturer (Australian system: Level C) at the Research School of Management of The Australian National University (2019-2020), and Assistant Professor at the School of Business of the Macau University of Science and Technology (2015-2018). Dr Fan is interested in the fashion business area of sustainable operations, e-business and supply chain management. He has published in top international journals including Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Journal of Operations Management, and Decision Sciences. He is the recipient of a number of research awards including the IACMR 2017 Presidential Award of Responsible Research, 2018 Bank of China (Macau) Research Excellence Award, and 2020 Best Paper Award from the Journal of Operations Management.