PolyU SFT Teams Up with lululemon in First Academic–Industry Collaboration to Promote Circular Fashion and Nurture Design Talent
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The School of Fashion and Textiles (SFT) at PolyU has partnered with lululemon to advance circular fashion in activewear through a structured academic–industry collaboration embedded within the relaunch of lululemon’s Like New programme in Hong Kong.
Like New is lululemon’s circular take-back and resale initiative aimed at extending product lifecycles and promoting responsible consumption. Building on this foundation, the renewed partnership integrates education, design innovation and community engagement to cultivate circular thinking among the next generation of fashion professionals and consumers.
PolyU SFT’s academic staff—Prof. KAN Chi-wai, Prof. Chloe KI, Prof. Tsai-chun HUANG, Prof. Magnum LAM and Prof. CHAN Hau-ling—and Miss LAI Chu-yi, a SFT alumna, are involved in this partnership.
The collaboration is implemented through three interconnected programmes that link classroom learning with real-world circular practice:
1. RE:FORM
The "RE:FORM" Circular Design Competition is a hands-on circular design competition in which students redesign end-of-life lululemon garments and surplus materials using circular design principles such as durability, modularity, repairability and material regeneration.
2. Like New Campus Voices
The "Like New Campus Voices" Engagement Programme is a student-led campus initiative that promotes awareness of lululemon’s circular initiatives, including garment take-back and responsible consumption practices.
3. Move Like New
The "Move Like New" Circular Experience comprises campus-based experiential activities, including open yoga classes, designed to integrate wellness practices with circular lifestyle education.
All three initiatives are running until November 2026, with the "RE:FORM" competition outcomes to be announced that month. The winning entries will be exhibited in January 2027.
This collaboration represents PolyU SFT’s first structured partnership with a globally renowned activewear brand in advancing circular fashion education in Hong Kong. By integrating lululemon’s Like New relaunch with academic programming, the partnership establishes a meaningful model for translating industry-led circular initiatives into educational practice.
The initiative moves beyond conventional sponsorship or brand engagement. Instead, it embeds circularity within design experimentation, peer-driven engagement and experiential campus activities. Through the three programmes, students are not only exposed to circular concepts but are actively involved in applying them across design, communication and lifestyle contexts.
Upon completion in November 2026, this partnership is expected to strengthen students' circular fashion literacy, enhance their professional readiness for sustainability-oriented roles and cultivate sustained engagement with responsible consumption practices. At the institutional level, it demonstrates how academic–industry collaboration can serve as a catalyst for knowledge transfer, innovation and ecosystem development within the circular activewear sector.
More broadly, the partnership positions PolyU SFT as a key contributor to shaping future talent and advancing circular transformation within the global activewear sector.
