News

Prof. Xu Bingang elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Prof. Xu Bingang has been elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC). This prestigious international honour recognises his distinguished academic achievements and interdisciplinary leadership at the intersection of textile science, materials chemistry, and wearable technology. The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), which was established in 1841, is a world-leading professional community for the chemical sciences. The FRSC designation is a prestigious honour bestowed upon scientists who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the chemical sciences and have a high professional standing. Prof. Xu’s pioneering research focuses on intelligent and electrical textiles, particularly high-performance energy harvesting and storage textiles, smart wearable sensing, and self-powered wearable systems. His work integrates textile science, materials chemistry, and electrical engineering to develop innovative solutions at the forefront of this rapidly evolving field. With over 300 publications and 18 granted patents, Prof. Xu has published more than 160 peer-reviewed articles in leading SCI journals with impact factors over 10.0 and also ranked in the top 10% of their respective fields, including Nature Communications, Matter, and Advanced Materials. Ranked among the World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists by Stanford University, he has also led his team to win two Gold Awards with the Congratulations of Jury at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva in Switzerland. This new fellowship adds to Prof. Xu's already distinguished portfolio of major international recognitions, including being an elected Fellow of the Textile Institute (CText FTI), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Textile and Apparel (FHKITA), and Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (SMIEEE). These prestigious recognitions underscore his research excellence and global impact in bridging textile science and engineering with materials science, chemistry, and electrical and electronic engineering for advancements in intelligent textiles and wearable innovations.

SFT once again invited by HKSAR Government to create bespoke Neo-Chinese attire for Chief Executive’s wife and female principal officials in celebration of National Day

SFT was once again invited by the Government of the HKSAR to design and produce ten distinctive sets of Neo-Chinese attire for the Chief Executive’s wife, eight female bureau secretaries and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office. Dressed in outfits meticulously created by the SFT team, they attended the flag-raising ceremony and the National Day reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, as well as other National Day celebrations. The collection showcased the contemporary aesthetics of Chinese culture while highlighting the successful integration of Hong Kong’s creative design excellence and technological innovation. Led by Prof. Jin Lam, Associate Professor, a team of students and alumni innovatively incorporated AI into the design process. By analysing and referencing the dressing styles, colour preferences and styling characteristics of the Chief Executive’s wife, the female bureau secretaries and the Director of the Chief Executive’s Office, the team explored design inspirations and created unique, tailor-made garments for each individual wearer. Combining AI-generated insights with professional expertise and judgement, the team further refined and optimised the designs, enhancing efficiency while exemplifying an educational philosophy that values both technological empowerment and human-centred creativity. The ten sets of Neo-Chinese attire blend the aesthetics of traditional Chinese garments with contemporary fashion design. Classic elements such as diagonal-front closures, Mandarin collars and traditional Chinese frog fastenings have been thoughtfully integrated into modern silhouettes and tailoring. Through meticulous craftsmanship and precise cutting techniques, the design team preserved the elegance and cultural essence of Chinese attire while highlighting the individuality and contemporary style of each individual. The collection reflects an innovative fusion of traditional culture and modern design, while underscoring Hong Kong’s distinctive strengths as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. The project also demonstrates SFT’s success in integrating design education, technological innovation and industry practice. Ms Vicky Tsang (BA, 2023), a distinguished alumna of SFT and founder of Gnastiy.com, created bauhinia brooches using 3D printing technology. By combining advanced manufacturing techniques with a symbol of Chinese culture, the accessories added a unique fashion-tech element to the National Day outfits and showcased the entrepreneurial spirit and innovative capabilities of PolyU alumni in the field of fashion technology. Dr Lam Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman, said, “PolyU is deeply honoured to once again have been invited by the HKSAR Government to design Neo-Chinese attire for the Chief Executive’s wife and female government officials in celebration of National Day. This invitation not only recognises the University’s educational achievements and professional expertise, but also represents a meaningful contribution to the preservation and promotion of Chinese culture. Our students, alumni and staff members of SFT have successfully integrated elements of Chinese culture, fashion creativity and AI to bring Chinese aesthetics to life in innovative new ways. Their work demonstrates Hong Kong young people’s deep understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture. Next year marks two important milestones for PolyU: the University’s 90th anniversary and the 70th anniversary of SFT. PolyU will continue to leverage the power of higher education to nurture fashion design talents with professional excellence, innovative thinking and a strong sense of responsibility, enabling them to tell the stories of China and Hong Kong, while contributing to national development and Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability.” Prof. Jin Lam said, “This project has provided a valuable experiential platform that brings together cultural heritage, technological innovation and fashion creativity. By combining AI-assisted analysis with professional judgement, students were able to test, validate and refine design decisions throughout a real-world design process, thereby enhancing their professional competencies. We hope that through participating in this culturally significant project, students can deepen their understanding of national development and Chinese culture, strengthen their cultural confidence, and demonstrate the creativity and sense of cultural responsibility of the younger generation.” As a leading hub for nurturing creative talent, SFT has long been committed to advancing fashion design, textile technology and the cultural and creative industries. This project also serves as a practical example of the School’s integration of digital technology into design education. Through exploring a Digital Co-design Education framework, the initiative aligns with the HKSAR Government’s policy direction on digital education development and offers a sustainable and innovative teaching model for nurturing future fashion design professionals. The School will continue to advance the integration of culture, design and technology through interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative design, while promoting the innovative inheritance of outstanding traditional Chinese culture. It will also contribute to Hong Kong’s development as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange and help reinforce its position as Asia’s fashion capital. Selected media coverage: Ming Pao Daily News  Hong Kong Economic Times am730  Headline Daily Ta Kung Pao  Hong Kong Commercial Daily 

Three SFT students named Millennium Fellows: Class of 2026

Three SFT students Bhalla Joshua Rishabh Malik, Au Chun-man, and Belle Lau are among the 13 PolyU undergraduates selected for the prestigious Millennium Fellowship (Class of 2026). Jointly presented by the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), the Millennium Fellowship is a world-renowned leadership development programme that empowers student leaders to design and implement impactful community projects in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year’s competition was exceptionally fierce, drawing applications from more than 76,000 students across 6,000+ institutions in 170 countries. Selected as one of just over 330 participating campuses worldwide, PolyU proudly stands as the sole higher education institution in Hong Kong in the 2026 cohort. Throughout the semester-long fellowship, Joshua, Chun-man, and Belle will undergo rigorous social impact training and spearhead dedicated initiatives that aim to tackle pressing societal challenges and drive meaningful changes.

Conductive textile enables record-high interfacial toughness for flexible electronics

Flexible, wearable electronics rely on soft conductors to interface with the human body, while rigid metal circuits are used to process and transmit signals. However, the integration of these mechanically dissimilar materials remains a major challenge, as they often separate during stretching or deformation, thus leading to unstable signals or device failure. To solve this challenge, Prof. Xu Bingang and his team have developed a new interface strategy based on a functionalised conductive fabric. The team placed fabric between soft conductive electrodes and rigid metal conductors to create a double-sided mechanical interlocking structure. The porous textile network allows adhesives to penetrate from both sides, thus forming robust “thread–hole” connections that significantly enhance bonding between soft and rigid materials. This new textile-enabled interface achieves an interfacial toughness of 730 J m⁻², a record-high value that surpasses that of existing methods, including chemical approaches, while maintaining stable electrical performance under large deformations. Even when the soft electrodes eventually fracture, the textile-reinforced connection remains intact. This strategy shows broad potential for highly stable electromyography recordings, hydrogel bioelectronics, and replaceable epidermal electrodes. By using functionalised conductive fabric as an interfacial strategy, Prof Xu’s team demonstrates how textile science and engineering can play an important role in advancing flexible electronics, wearable devices, and bio-integrated systems. The work has been published as “Double‐Sided Mechanical Interlocking Enables Soft‐Rigid Conductive Interfaces with a Record High Toughness for Flexible Electronics" in a leading journal, Advanced Materials. The first author is Dr Gang Li, a former postdoctoral fellow under the supervision of Prof. Xu, who was supported by the PolyU Postdoc Matching Fund Scheme.

Prof. Chen Jianming secures $4.2M from Atour Planet for sleep science research

Prof. Chen Jianming, Assistant Professor, secured $4.2 million for a collaborative research project from Atour Planet Co., Ltd. for translating sleep science into market-leading pillow and quilt products. The project combines research on sleep-stage analysis, ergonomics, textile materials, and thermal comfort to develop sleep products that have strong commercial and continuous innovation potential. Key outcomes include Deep Sleep Pillow Pro 3.0 and a series of deep-sleep quilts designed for different seasons. The deep sleep pillow features a three-layer gradient foam structure that incorporates an R6 structural design, as well as a breathable, thermoregulating pillowcase. Together, these features provide dynamic and stable support for the head, neck, and shoulders while improving sleep comfort. The deep-sleep quilt series was developed for different use scenarios that offer both thermal and moisture comfort, facilitates regulation of the material, and provides an optimal structural design, thereby improving its adaptability across different sleep environments. The project also supports the company in developing four enterprise standards and filing four patents, thus establishing a pathway from technology development and standardization to intellectual property protection and product commercialization. The project advances the translation of sleep science into market-ready consumer products and further expands the application of advanced textile materials and sleep technologies in the sleep health market. SFT would like to thank Atour Planet Co., Ltd. for their generous support and valuable collaboration on this project.

Prof. Bo Fang receives Materials Scientist Award at International Conference in Singapore

Prof. Bo Fang was invited to provide a talk on extreme-performance fibres, textiles and devices at the 6th International Conference on Materials Science, Engineering and Technology in Singapore, which took place from 5 to 7 May 2026. At the conference, Prof. Fang shared the latest work of his research group with global experts and scholars on the continuous fabrication of next-generation extreme-performance fibrous materials and fibre transistor array-based artificial olfactory sensors. Prof. Fang has authored a number of top scientific publications and patents and secured important research funds in the field of extreme-performance fibres and fibre-based smart devices. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the advancement of materials science, engineering and technology, particularly in the area of fibre sciences, Prof.Fang was awarded the Materials Scientist Award by the conference committee.

SFT announces Outstanding Alumni Awards 2026 receipents

SFT is pleased to present the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award of SFT 2026 to five distinguished graduates. They are:       Mr Roger Chan Associate Diploma of Textile Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic, 1985 Outstanding Alumni Award in Professional Achievement Proposer: Mr Yeung Wai-hon, Group Strategy Office, TexRay Industrial Co. Ltd.; Chair, ESG Committee, Taiwan Garment Industry Association Mr Chan is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer of Cobalt Fashion (Hong Kong) Limited. He is a prominent leader in the textile and apparel industry who has pioneered smart manufacturing, AI integration, and supply chain digitalisation. A staunch advocate for sustainability, he has spearheaded digital carbon-accounting tools to align Hong Kong’s fashion sector with global green standards. Mr Chan also serves in key leadership roles across the industry, including Chairman of the Clothing Industry Training Authority (CITA) and Vice Chairman of the Textile Council of Hong Kong. He actively supports SFT as an Advisory Committee member and through the Chan Wing On Scholarship.   Mr Penter Yip  Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Fashion & Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2007  Outstanding Alumni Award in Entrepreneurial Achievement Proposer: Prof. Kan Chi-wai, Associate Dean and Professor, SFT Mr Yip revolutionised the design industry by creating Fashionary, the world’s first tailor-made sketchbook that integrates garment references with body templates. Under his leadership, Fashionary became a global sensation and the No. 1 best-selling title distributed by Thames & Hudson (2017–2025). He has since expanded into creative tech with digital apps like FashionDraw and PatternDraw. Mr Yip actively supports SFT as a guest speaker, PolyU Fashion Show pre-judge, and partner in the SFT Summer Internship Partnership Scheme.     Miss Vicky Tsang  Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Fashion and Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2023 Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Entrepreneurial Achievement Proposer: Prof. CP Ho, Associate Professor, SFT MissTsang is the founder of GNASTIY.COM, an avant-garde brand that has pioneered 3D-printed and virtual-to-reality fashion. Her futuristic designs have garnered global acclaim, and earned organic features in over 50 leading publications, including Vogue and Highsnobiety, while dressing international icons such as BLACKPINK, Katy Perry, and Tyla. The champion of the PolyU Fashion Show 2022 and Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) 2022, Miss Tsang continues to inspire the next generation as an SFT guest speaker and project reviewer.       Prof. Xin Binjie  Doctor of Philosophy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2009 Outstanding Alumni Award in Scholarly Achievements Proposer: Prof. Kan Chi-wai, Associate Dean and Professor, SFT Prof. Xin is the Dean and Professor of the School of Textile and Fashion at the Shanghai University of Engineering Science. Being an acclaimed scholar in functional micro-/nano-fibres, wearable e-skins, and ancient textile digital restoration, he has authored over 300 papers, published five English monographs, and holds 32 patents, which have earned prestigious accolades including the Shanghai Science and Technology Progress Award. A recipient of the China Textile Industry Outstanding Contributor to Talent Development award, Prof. Xin actively maintains close academic ties with SFT as an external examiner, PhD co-supervisor, and research collaborator.       Prof. Shen Bin Doctor of Philosophy, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 2013 Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Scholarly Achievement Proposer: Prof. Fan Di, Assistant Dean and Associate Professor, SFT Prof. Shen is the Associate Dean of the Glorious Sun School of Business and Management at Donghua University. He is also an internationally recognised expert in fashion supply chain management, green transformation, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy. Ranked among Stanford’s Global Top 2% Scientists with over 8,600 citations, his honours include recognition as China’s National Youth Top Talent and recipient of the Humboldt Research Fellowship. He developed China’s first textile ESG evaluation system, which has been adopted by industry giants like ANTA and Li-Ning. Prof. Shen frequently collaborates with SFT on research initiatives, academic exchanges, and PhD supervision.

MSc students advance intelligent wearable technology translation

Three MSc in Intelligent Wearable Technology students, namely Zhao Ge, Zhang Xinyue and Chen Yige, have been developing AirMass Wear under the guidance of Prof. Shou Dahua. AirMass Wear is an intelligent wearable pneumatic massage garment for relieving muscle fatigue, encouraging office wellness, and facilitating post-exercise recovery. The project involves soft textile design, pneumatic actuation, physiological sensing, and AI-enabled adaptive control to deliver personalised massage support in a lightweight wearable format. With the support of PolyU’s innovation and entrepreneurship resources, the team has developed a first-generation prototype and received university-level seed funding, including funds from the Micro Fund Scheme and Ideation Fund. Zhao Ge also represented PolyU in the 2026 Zhejiang Tour for Hong Kong and Macao Youth, where she presented the AirMass Wear project and exchanged ideas with young innovators and industry experts. During the event, she had the opportunity to meet Mrs Carrie Lam, former Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, with whom she shared his experience in smart wearable innovation and technology translation. These achievements highlight the role of the MSc programme in nurturing interdisciplinary talents and promoting the translation of intelligent wearable technologies into real-world applications.

Linda Lin wins the Best Creativity Award at “Thread of Creativity" Fashion Design Competition 2026

Warmest congratulations to final-year fashion design student Linda Lin, who clinched the Best Creativity Award at the “Thread of Creativity” Fashion Design Competition 2026 with her visionary collection, “Adapted Glow”. The grand finale runway showcase and presentation ceremony took place on 5 September 2026 at CENTRESTAGE, which was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Jointly organised by the Sham Shui Po District Youth Development and Civic Education Committee and the Asian New Generation Creativity Design Association (CDA-Asia) along with support from the Sham Shui Po District Office and sponsorship from the Home Affairs Department, the competition is dedicated to discovering and empowering emerging design talents who are 16 to 29 years old. Through hands-on workshops, professional mentorship, and a signature runway finale, the initiative nurtures rising designers while injecting vibrant, creative energy into Hong Kong’s fashion landscape. SFT is proud of Linda’s outstanding achievement and looks forward to seeing her continue to flourish as an innovative fashion talent.

SFT alumni recognised among top 10 finalists at YDC 2026

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the Hong Kong Young Fashion Designers’ Contest (YDC) 2026 was successfully held during Asia’s premier fashion event, CENTRESTAGE, on 5 September 2026. As one of the most influential fashion design competitions in the region, YDC celebrates emerging young designers and their unique visions. This year, four outstanding SFT alumni: Mr Calvin Chan (BA, 2024), Mr Einar Lai (BA, 2024), Mr Zephyr Liu (BA, 2015), and Miss Selena Xie (BA, 2025), found themselves among the top 10 finalists and showcased their creative flair on the runway. Calvin’s collection, “A Rookie Tailor”, re-evaluates traditional menswear by transforming overlooked bespoke components, such as shoulder pads and hand-stitching, into central design elements. Approaching craftsmanship with a fresh, rule-breaking perspective, he blends precise cutting with intentional rawness to offer a contemporary take on classic tailoring. Einar’s collection, “Sh-boom”, captures the spontaneous spark of inspiration and blurs the boundaries between fine art and fashion. Translating the intimate creative process in the studio into garments, he repurposes modest art materials through meticulous handcraft to place canvas-inspired concepts directly onto the body. Zephyr was inspired by Yoko Ono’s conceptual art for his collection, “Map to Get Lost”, which explores themes of growth, existence, and transformation. Utilising skin-like fabric manipulations, exposed stitching, and reconfigurable structures, the designs invite the wearer into an open-ended dialogue of self-discovery and perpetual flux. Selena fulfils a childhood dream in her collection “Episode 0”, which returns to the pure, uninhibited joy of creation. Using primary colours, circular forms, and open structural spaces, she balances childlike imagination with wearable, thoughtful tailoring. SFT extends its warmest congratulations to all alumni on their stellar achievements and wishes them continued success in their design journeys.