Chairman of Central Textiles Group, Mr Alexander Woo is known as a prominent leader of the textile industry in Hong Kong, who has been driving the industry forward through the years. Mr Woo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of London. In the mid-1960s, he joined Central Textiles Limited, an enterprise founded by his father, the late Mr Vincent Woo.
In memory of their parents, Mr Woo and his family set up the Vincent and Lily Woo Trust in 2007, making donations to numerous education and charitable organizations. Since 2011, the Trust has been one of the chief sponsors of The EcoChic Design Award, an international sustainable fashion design competition, to support emerging fashion designers to create sustainable fashion.
Mr Woo has devoted much time to serving the community in various capacities. He is Member of the General Committee of the Textile Council of Hong Kong and former Chairman of the Hongkong Cotton Spinners Association. Mr Woo served as Supervisor of the Cotton Spinners Association Secondary School from 1986 to 2009.
Mr Woo has contributed tremendously to the nurture of young talents of the industry. His generous help over the years has enabled PolyU to scale new heights in knowledge transfer and the development of fashion and textile technology. As one of the major technical partners of PolyU’s Institute of Textiles and Clothing, the Central Textiles Group has adopted the PolyU-developed yarn spinning technology, known as Nu-TorqueTM Singles Ring Yarn Technology, to produce singles ring yarn with reduced residual torque. Central Textiles Group has also supported the commercialization of this novel technique to overseas markets. In addition, the Group has offered internships for PolyU students, providing them with opportunities for technical training.
In 2012, the Woo family established the Vincent and Lily Woo Trust Scholarships to support PolyU student taking part in exchange programmes, and to encourage outstanding postgraduate students to further their studies. In 2013, Mr Woo rendered further support to PolyU with the establishment of the Vincent and Lily Woo Endowed Professorship in Textiles and Technology through the Trust. The enthusiasm from Mr Woo and the Woo family in textile education has given PolyU a strong impetus to make continuous contributions to the development of the fashion and textiles industry.
Chairman Yang, University Council Members, President Tong and Honoured Guests,
It is my great honour to receive this Fellowship from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Central Textiles’ relationship with PolyU goes back to the days when the University was a polytechnic. When the Department of Textile Industries, which later became the Institute of Textiles and Clothing, first established at the Hong Kong Technical College in 1957 with Mr M. N. Holmes as its department head, our mill managers joined the regular monthly meetings with Polytechnic staff, discussing about the curriculum and had regular mutual exchange of ideas. Today most of our senior managers are PolyU graduates.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Institute of Textiles and Clothing is one of the best textiles institutes in the world. It holds many patents. One of the most important spinning technology inventions was developed by ITC’s Professor Tao Xiao-ming called Nu TorqueTM Singles Ring Yarn Technology. This invention was modified into a commercially applicable attachment which can be put on ring spinning machines by our Mr C. P. Cheng and Central Textiles’ technical team. With this attachment, spinning machines’ production is increased by 25% and the yarn produced has a soft hand-feel and cashmere look. The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel has successfully licensed this technology to many spinning factories in the world.
This story tells the importance of industries working closely with universities. Central Textiles is honoured and privileged to have a close working relationship with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
