News

Della supports Dr Chloe Ki and Dr Magnum Lam

SFT gratefully acknowledges the generosity of Della, a Hong Kong-based luxury fashion retailer that specialises in bags, shoes, accessories, and small leather goods, for their research donation. This valuable partnership is made possible thanks to the dedicated efforts of our assistant professors Dr Chloe Ki and Dr Magnum Lam. The research project will focus on exploring consumer preferences and concerns related to fashion metaverse (FaMe) retail strategies, with a particular focus on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of blockchain-based fashion items and Web 3.0 retail experiences. The ongoing digitalisation revolution, which includes the emergence of the metaverse, along with advances in AI technology, is causing significant disruptions to traditional retail practices. Whether fashion shopping takes place in-store or online, Web 3.0-specific digital retail marketplaces will play a crucial role in facilitating these experiences. With a focus on Della's main target audience of affluent Chinese consumers, the project aims to help Della in their development of tailored retail and sales strategies that cater to the evolving demands of Chinese consumers in this space by using modern AI research methods. By exploring the potential of NFTs and other digital fashion assets, we believe that this research project can assist Della to unlock new revenue streams and reach wider audiences through metaverse-based retail and distribution channels. This donation not only demonstrates that SFT research has real impacts, but also highlights the benefits of industry-academic collaborations. Through such partnerships, SFT can bridge the gap between the academia and industry, drive innovation and entrepreneurship, and contribute to a dynamic fashion ecosystem.

Dr Chris Lo's research students receives award at PRSC 2023

Congratulations to the research student Nga-Yin Dik who is supervised by Dr Chris Lo, recently won the Best Paper Runner-up Award and received a cash prize of up to HK$20,000 at the PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC) 2023. The conference was organised by the Graduate School (GS), and held on 8-9 May 2023 on campus. Of the 338 submissions, only 6 papers were selected for best paper. Michel's paper, titled “Developing a Prediction Model for Virtual Garment Fitting Size with Psychographic Characteristics and 3D Body Measurements”, proposes the use of a prediction model for virtual garment fitting based on an artificial neural network (ANN) to investigate the variations in the ease preferences of end users through their 3D body measurements and psychographic characteristics for wearing garments, and also a generative adversarial network (GAN) model to visualise wore avatars with fast and accurate results. About the PolyU Research Student Conference (PRSC 2023) Aiming to promote innovative and high-quality research, the PRSC is a flagship research student conference that provides research postgraduate (RPg) students and the students of the College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators (CURI) at PolyU with the opportunity to present their research work and findings. The PRSC also provides an excellent opportunity for students from different disciplines to network with their peers, and establishes a collaborative and active research community at PolyU. The theme of the PRSC is “Research with Impact”. The organising committee is now inviting submissions that describe original research. RPg students of all disciplines at all stages of study and CURI students are welcome to submit papers on any topic.

SFT Summer Internship Programme 2022/23

One of the most anticipated events every year is the summer internship programme at SFT, which provides talented students with the valuable opportunity to jumpstart their career. Since 2018, the programme has offered unique opportunities for students to work on real projects alongside industry professionals, which provide them with valuable hands-on experience and the ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations while building their professional networks. The students are also a source of high-calibre interns for the fashion industry who cultivates them into valuable assets for our industrial partners. The economy and prospects of Hong Kong have improved visibly in the first half of 2023, which have subsequently led to the improvement of the labour market. SFT students also benefit because there are more summer internship opportunities. This year, 34 local and international reputable companies are offering 97 openings, which attracted hundreds of applications from our undergraduate students. Among these companies, SFT is excited to welcome new partners including Hermès, Fashion Clinic, Agnes b, J Crew, Rag & Co, and Swire Resources Ltd. To assist students in preparation for a successful application and productive internship, SFT has specially invited HR senior executives of Loro Piana and The Children's Place to host training workshops. To further expand the programme, SFT launched the Summer Internship Partnership Scheme which allows our partners to employ more student interns or extend the duration of the internship with the same budget, thus offering more flexibility and options. Our aim is to strengthen partnerships with the fashion industry and provide the best possible opportunities to our students to enhance their competence through this win-win situation for both our students and partners.

SFT innovations honoured internationally at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva

Five impactful innovations from SFT garnered one Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury and four Gold Medals at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo), widely regarded as among the most important annual global events devoted exclusively to inventions. This year, about 1,000 inventions from about 40 countries and regions were attracted. These award-winning innovations improve people’s lives and expand humankind’s horizons. In addition, these innovations help the world adapt prepare for future pandemics, as well as safeguard people’s health and well-being. Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury: AI-Assisted Design of Functional Clothing for Scoliosis Treatment Principal investigator: Dr Joanne Yip, Associate Dean and Associate Professor This new approach significantly improves scoliosis treatment and the quality of life for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients by adopting AI to create tailor-made functional clothing for treating AIS. Patient data is used to train a decision tree and three neural networks to prescribe and configure the brace, which is then customised by professionals. Optimised designs, e.g., padding placement, tightness of elastic straps and configurable 3D structures, are suggested to enhance functionality, increase wearing comfort, and reduce the wearer’s spinal curvature. This makes an excellent alternative to the heavy and uncomfortable traditional braces prescribed by orthotists. Gold Medal: A Sport-Specific Soft Manikin System for Sports Bra Design Principal investigator: Dr Yick Kit-lun, Associate Professor This soft manikin system offers a complete solution and scientific guidelines for designing effective sports bras, providing designers with valuable insights. Using simulated skin, breast tissue and human running motion, it can replace human bra fit trials and measures the performance and pressure of sports bras scientifically, objectively and reliably. The biomechanics of breast motion are incorporated to evaluate and optimise the fit, comfort, support, and protection offered by sports bras. It measures bra pressure and sensation comfort, while tracking 3D body and breast motion to assess the bras’ breast control performance in all directions (X, Y and Z). Gold Medal: Revolutionary Mussel-inspired Polyester for Next Generation Sportswear and Functional Clothing Principal investigator: Prof. John Xin, Lee Family Professor in Fashion & Textiles, Chair Professor of Textile Chemistry Inspired by how marine mussels stick to rocks, this invention improves polyester’s abilities to absorb water, resist odours and prevent static electricity build-up by adding a special polymer which forms a long-lasting bond with the polyester. When sprayed on one side of the polyester, it creates a one-way moisture transport effect, meaning that sweat and water is absorbed by the clothing and transported from the body, keeping the wearer cool and dry. The resulting clothes are more comfortable and hygienic to wear, and can withstand over 100 laundry cycles. This technology is ideal for making sportswear and other functional clothing. Gold Medal: Safe and Eco-friendly Antimicrobial Materials with High Efficiency Principal investigators: Prof. Tao Xiaoming, Director, Research Centre of Smart Wearable Technology, Vincent and Lily Woo Endowed Professorship in Textiles Technology, Chair Professor of Textile Technology and Dr Zhang Ziheng, Postdoctoral Fellow; CEO, Ecolar Technology Limited (a PolyU Academic-led start-up) Novel proprietary technologies have been developed to prepare highly-efficient, eco-friendly antimicrobial polyhydroxyalkanoate oligomers (PHAOs), which can be used as disinfectants, finishing agents for personal protective equipment, and in PHAO/PA blend yarns. These PHAO materials are ideal for medical applications as they are fully biodegradable, transparent, non-toxic and non-allergic. With wide-spectrum antimicrobial properties, they can eliminate more than 99.99% of S. Aureus, K. pneumoniae, C. albicans, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, as well as COVID-19, H1N1 and H3N2 viruses. Compared with current commercial antimicrobial agents, they are more effective against microbes, safer, more biodegradable, cheaper, and emit less carbon. Gold Medal: Long-lasting Self-disinfecting Materials Technology Principal investigators: Dr Chris Lo, Associate Professor, Co-Founder, Immune Materials Limited (a PolyU Academic-led startup) and Prof. Kan Chi-wai, Professor, Co-Founder, Immune Materials Limited The world's first antiviral 3D printing technology developed by Immune Materials Limited is used to create products that can eliminate 70% and 99.2% of the pathogens on their surface within two minutes and 20 minutes respectively. It is highly effective in preventing the spread of pathogens, e.g. E. coli and human coronavirus, in settings such as healthcare facilities, schools, and public transportation. The resulting products have a long-lasting performance of over three years, and can be custom-designed in any shapes and sizes. This technology can also be used to produce high-quality, soft, non-toxic and versatile materials, such as vegan leather.   Related news: Hong Kong Economic Times | 【揚威海外】理大28項發明奪日內瓦發明展獎項 助治療脊柱側彎、減慢兒童近視加深 Oriental Daily News | 日內瓦發明展 理大破紀錄奪31獎 Ming Pao Daily News | 理大研功能衣矯脊柱側彎 「服裝設計不止靚唔靚」

Future Retail Challenge Final Competition 2023

The prestigious Future Retail Challenge was back in person in April 2023 after COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted worldwide. This year, the PolyU team is made up of four SFT students: Herbie Chan (Year 3), Rika Lui (Year 4), Muskan Shah (Year 4), and Dora Xu (Year 3). The quartet flew to Barcelona, Spain  with their supervisors, Dr Magnum Lam and Dr Huang Tsai-chun, to participate in the exciting and intense event. The Future Retail Challenge student competition is a key component of the World Retail Congress. This year, students from five other universities, including the EDHEC Business School (France), ESCP Business School - Turin campus (Italy), Fashion Institute of Technology (USA), London College of Fashion (UK) and University of Amsterdam (Netherlands), competed in the challenge against the PolyU team. The teams were required to select a shopping mall in a non-prime position in their own city or country, which has a closed department store anchor and a large number of empty shops. The PolyU team proposed a new retail business model for the Arcade shopping mall at Cyberport on the southern side of Hong Kong Island. They adopted the latest AI technology, ChatGPT, as a means to attract shoppers to return to the mall by offering novel shopping experiences and seamless customer services. Drs Lam and Huang would also like to take the opportunity here to thank the PolyU advisors for their valuable advice to the team, including Mr Jimmy Chan, Head of Account Management of Farfetch; Mr Anthony Keung, President & CEO of Fenix Group Holdings Ltd; and Ms Tiffany Lam, Vice President – Marketing and Communications at Lane Crawford.    

Dr Jeongyeon Lee publishes in an impactful journal with on multifunctional polymeric phthalocyanine for new- generation of energy storages

Dr Jeongyeon Lee, Research Assistant Professor, recently published a highly impactful article entitled “Multifunctional Polymeric Phthalocyanine-Coated Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Redox Mediators of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries” in Advanced Energy Materials (IF: 29.698), with Prof. Ho Seok Park and his team at Sungkyunkwan University. Dr Lee and his team members reported the synthesis of uniform triethylene glycol (TEG) functionalised polymeric cobalt phthalocyanines (CoPcs) coated onto the surface of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MCs) by using CoPc–MC conjugates. They discussed in detail the formation mechanism of such nanocomposites and explained how their structure is correlated to enhanced transport kinetics, high S loading, and long-term cycling stability when applied as S hosts in Li-S batteries. The novel S hosts offer five distinct characteristics for Li-S batteries:   The Co ions in the centre of the Pc functions as a redox mediator for LiPS conversion, which improves the reaction kinetics during cycling. Elemental N atoms around the Co ions efficiently donate electrons and create polar contacts with the Li atoms of LiPSs to prevent excessive LiPS dissolution. By acting as lithiophilic sites that can accommodate Li ions, the oxygen (O) atoms in the TEG linkers mimic the O atoms in 12-crown-4 (a crown ether) and reduce gradients in Li-ion concentration. The aromatic rings of the electrons of the Pc increase the electron transport in MCs. The TCP coating can inhibit the aggregation of Pcs on MCs, thus producing well-dispersed active metal sites. Dr Lee has extensively published various research articles in the most recent three years related to energy storage and conversion applications in the following journals: Advanced Energy Materials, Infomat, EnergyChem, Small, Small Methods, and Chemical Engineering Journal, and 8 other papers in SCIE journals.   References: Kim, Y., Kim, W. I., Park, H., Kim, J. S., Cho, H., Yeon, J. S., Kim, J., Kim, Y.-J., *Lee, J., *Park, H. S., Multifunctional Polymeric Phthalocyanine-Coated Carbon Nanotubes for Efficient Redox Mediators of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries. Adv. Energy Mater. 2023, 2204353. (https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.202204353)

Joey Choi and Grace Wong shortlisted for the 7th edition of Loro Piana Knit Design Award

 On 6 April, the Loro Piana headquarters in Milan, Italy, held the Loro Piana Knit Design Award, an international competition dedicated to giving talented students their own creative interpretation of various iconic yarns that represent the excellence of the Maison.  Two BA final year students, Joey Chan and Grace Wong, were shortlisted for the opportunity to develop a creative idea that focused on the theme "Regenerate" – to reuse the fibres and materials provided by Loro Piana to innovate and enhance the value of the Maison’s exclusive yarns by playing with the available colours and using stitches to give rise to new weaves and textured forms. The five other participating design intuitions at the Loro Piana Knit Design Award were: the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, USA); Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, UK); Donghua University (Shanghai, China); Università Iuav di Venezia (Venice, Italy), and Institut Français de la Mode (Paris, France). The champion went to students of the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Casablanca X Cotton Incorporated X PolyU Fashion｜Bedding Design Final Competition

Jointly organised by SFT, Casablanca HK and Cotton Incorporated, the “Casablanca X Cotton Incorporated X PolyU Fashion｜Bedding Design Final Competition” and Award Presentation Ceremony were successfully concluded on 31 Mar 2023. This competition is a collaborative project sponsored by Casablanca, a renowned luxury bedding brand in Hong Kong, as well as Cotton Incorporated, a global non-government organisation (NGO) funded by cotton growers in the United States. Student contestants were required to design patterns for two sets of bedding and a quilt with fabric selected from an online fabric library on cottonworks.com. The theme “Technology in Nature” received top honours and was awarded a cash prize of HK$20,000. Congratulations to SIN Siu Shan, the Champion of the competition. The concept behind this theme is to explain the bond between technology and nature, which the design tells in a humorous way. Also, the design shows how technology fully harnesses the gift of Mother Nature. The one-of-a-kind design will be actualised and launched to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Casablanca this year. We thank the jury panelists, Mr Leo Cheng, Chairman of Casablanca Hong Kong Limited; Mr Ricky Cheng, Vice-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Casablanca Hong Kong Limited; Ms Angela Wong, Executive Director of Casablanca Hong Kong Limited; Ms Vivian Cheung, Marketing Director of Casablanca Hong Kong Limited; Ms Bonny Kwan, Associate Director, Supply Chain Marketing Asia of Cotton Incorporated; and all the participants of the competition.

DAFU x PolyU Fashion Sneakers Design Competition

SFT and DAFU Hong Kong joined hands to organise the Sneaker Design Competition, the award presentation was held successfully on 30 March 2023. The judging panel was composed of professionals from DAFU Hong Kong and Match Showroom. Twenty students were shortlisted as finalists in the competition, and their designs were showcased in an exhibition at STORE by PolyU Fashion from 21 March to 11 April 2023. Two awards were won by final-year student Wong Mei-wai for two of her designs: the championship for her design “Ballet/Retro/Elegant” and first runner-up for “Vintage/The 60’s/Hand Drawing”. Year 3 fashion design student Lai Chu-yi received the second runner-up award for her design “Peony/Traditional Culture/Innovative”. The Most Popular Design award was given to Year 1 student Poon Yi-lam for “PolyU/85th Anniversary/Future”.  

Dr Fan Di and Dr Huang Qi-yao recipients of NSFC Young Scientists Fund 2022

Two young SFT researchers, Dr Fan Di and Dr Huang Qiyao, have been recognised by the Young Scientists Fund 2022 of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) for their research projects. The funding has been made available to Hong Kong researchers and universities for the first time ever. Each project is granted RMB 300,000 to support basic research work for three years. Dr Fan Di - Corporate Carbon Neutrality Goal Settings in Chinese Industrial Sectors: Antecedents and Consequences Climate change is a huge challenge, and countries are working to reduce carbon emissions. Companies play a significant role in the process, but many Chinese businesses have yet to set their own carbon goals. Their lack of participation can make it difficult for China to achieve its 2060 carbon neutrality target. In response, Dr Fan Di, Assistant Professor of SFT and member of the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) and his research team explore why Chinese companies set carbon goals (or not) and what happens when they do. The research team believes that companies are more likely to set carbon goals if they have confident leaders, are close to their targets, and feel the need to protect the environment. They also think that setting goals helps companies to reduce emissions and boost profits. The team will study different Chinese companies and use experiments to test their ideas. The findings can help researchers, companies, and governments make better decisions about managing the environment and running businesses in a sustainable way. The research will show how setting environmental goals affects company success. Even if some companies are struggling, the team believes that setting carbon goals can help them prosper in the long-run. Policymakers can use the findings to support businesses in becoming greener, helping China to achieve its carbon reduction targets and improving life for everyone. Dr Huang Qiyao - Study on the structures and performance of energy storage textiles enabled by tailored fiber placement With the rapid development of smart electronic textiles that are lightweight, multifunctional, and can be integrated into various structures, the corresponding power systems needs to have  high energy performance, excellent flexibility, and wearability. Developing fibre-based energy storage devices for direct integration into textile electronic devices is a promising strategy to achieve the wear comfort and durability of wearable electronics. However, current fibre-based energy storage devices are vulnerable during the fabrication and integration processes which leads to performance degradation and even failure.  Dr Huang Qiyao, Assistant Professor of SFT and member of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems (RI-IWEAR), aims to develop a universal approach to achieve the flexible fabrication and integration of fibrous electrodes into flexible battery textiles. In this project, high-performance flexible electrode fibres will be developed, and then integrated into battery textiles via a simple embroidery technology[WL1]. Through the rational designs of materials and structures, optimisation of device configurations, and a study on the failure mechanism of such batteries upon fabrication and mechanical deformation, the stability of the structure and electrochemical performance of battery textiles shall be greatly improved. More importantly, new types of flexible battery textiles with customisable configurations will be fabricated. The success of this project will provide new scientific insights into the study of energy storage textiles, and new knowledge for the fabrication and integration of fibre-based batteries in applications of smart electronic textiles and wearable electronics. Prof. Christina Wong, Director of Research and Innovation at PolyU, said, “We are thankful for the support from the NSFC Young Scientists Fund for Hong Kong researchers, which will facilitate and strengthen our research projects and the professional development of our scientists. PolyU has exceptional scholars and experts who are committed to interdisciplinary research work that have real impacts on the technological, social and economic development of Hong Kong and China."