SFT is proud to announce our successful participation in Fashion InStyle 2026, held from 27 to 30 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). In the “Fashion Tech & Services” zone, SFT presented five cutting-edge projects designed to address the industry's most pressing challenges in sustainability, manufacturing efficiency, and high-performance textiles.
Seven of our esteemed faculty members presented breakthroughs that redefine the boundaries of traditional apparel:
Smart Textiles × Athletic Performance
Led by Prof. Yick Kit-lun, Prof. Annie Yu, and Dr Gaby Shi
Integrating advanced textile technology with biomechanics research, the exhibition showcases three breakthrough prototypes: performance compression socks for football players, seamless knitted sports bras for adolescent girls, and biofeedback-enabled smart compression gear. These designs combine novel knitting structures and new materials to enhance fit and thermal comfort, while embedding interactive technology into activewear to support, protect, and sense the body, thus advancing performance, preventing injury, and redefining the future of functional sports apparel.
Recycling Coloured Silk Waste for Sustainable Fashion
Led by Prof. Chen Jianming
With the rise of fast fashion and expansion of the textile industry, determining how to address coloured textile waste has become more and more challenging. Addressing the environmental impact of the luxury sector, coloured silk waste is collected and made into coloured silk fibroin (CSF) solutions with excellent colour retention in our project. Interestingly, CSF solutions can be used to dye new yarns/fabric in an efficient and cost-effective manner. In addition, coloured silk waste can also be recycled into regenerated colourful silk fibres, which can be further weaved/knitted into garments without additional dyeing processes. The project ingeniously offers an alternative strategy for textile waste valorisation.
Digital Transformation: Intelligent Decision Support System for Apparel Development Costs
Led by Dr Cynthia Liang
This project introduces a data-driven AI platform designed to revolutionise cost management in apparel research and experimental development. By integrating the cost factors of different elements, including fabric, trim, labour, and finishing, our system provides accurate cost predictions across 30 garment categories. Recognisingthat designers, procurement, and sales teams often have conflicting priorities, we utilise large language models (LLMs) to bridge these semantic gaps. Building on this alignment, the LLMs offer intelligent material and design suggestions within our predictive cost-control framework. This approach empowers teams to optimise sourcing and pricing during the initial design phase, thus achieving end-to-end digital cost management.
Revolutionary Construction: From Surface to Form: 3D-Printed Self-Formed Pleats
Led by Prof. Huang Tsai-Chun
This project presents self-folded pleated textile pieces that transition directly from 2D surfaces into 3D structures through a one-time forming process. In contrast to relying on traditional manual pleating techniques, this is an innovative textile transformation method that is implemented by 3D printing onto textile. By shifting from manual craftsmanship to self-folding behaviour, this project proposes an alternative approach to textile design where textile materials can proactively shape themselves into structural forms. Furthermore, the pleats are generated without material removal or production waste, thereby highlighting a more sustainable pathway for pleat making.
Thermal Comfort Innovation: iActive™: Intelligent Active-Perspiration Activewear
Led by Prof. Dahua Shou
iActive™ is a disruptive intelligent activewear platform that features artificial sweat glands and a root-like liquid transport system that actively manages perspiration. Unlike traditional sportswear, Active™ maintains a sustainably cool, dry and breathable skin microclimate that dissipates sweat up to three times faster than the maximal sweating rates, thus significantly enhancing wear comfort and performance. A companion smartphone app wirelessly adjusts sweat removal for personalised, data-driven control. When soaked, iActive™ activewear is up to 60% lighter and 50% less clinging than conventional gear. This activewear has broad, high-impact applications across sports, work, and healthcare in an era of global warming and extreme weather.
