Given the shift in the textile industry’s global supply chain and the ongoing digital transformation, enterprises and organizations today are not only searching for strategies and solutions to address current challenges, but also for talent, networks and sustainability initiatives. In Hong Kong, despite being offered the advantage of a highly integrated culture, capital mobility, knowledge, and talent, the fashion and textile sector is stagnant and devoid of vital stimuli to drive growth. It is therefore critical that the textile industry integrates deeply with academia, shares resources, coordinates interdisciplinary research, breaks down domain and territorial boundaries, and moves towards industrial-use textile development.
In line with this, a university-industrial joint research institute, namely CR-PolyU Joint Research Institute for Carbon Neutral New Materials (RICNNM), is intended for establishment with the mission of concerting knowledge transfer of interdisciplinary research, talent cultivation, and strategic brand networking to positively impact the future of Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, and the rest of the world, with the Greater Bay Area as a key channel. It is believed an interconnected system of technological innovation driven by market forces, in conjunction with an in-depth integration of industry and academia, will bring different stakeholders together, break down domain boundaries, and result in more integrative and dynamic advancement.
Prof. Li LI
Professor in the School of Fashion and Textiles
Director of CR-PolyU Joint Research Institute for Carbon Neutral New Materials
