As a world-class fashion technology centre, Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is devoted to advance the industrial standard and competitiveness through R&D of new technologies, applications and materials. ITC possesses multi-disciplinary expertise in the areas of textiles and apparel technology, fashion and textile design, quality management and marketing. The following are a few of the highlights among the proprietary and award winning technologies developed by ITC:
Functional fabrics for product differentiation
Shape memory fabrics - this unique fabric is finished with a special kind of polymer that enables the fabric to recover its original shape and is particularly ideal for intimate apparel. It can also achieve crease retention, flat appearance and bagging recovery when washed in hot water.
Nano-technology fabrics and products - ITC researchers have incorporated nano-technology in developing various unique fabrics that are highly functional and application-oriented. The RadianFabTM is made of polymer-based photonic fibers with the luminous property and have good potential applications in art, toy-making, and fashion. The Self-cleaning Fabric is a breakthrough by applying the titanium coating that can remove dirt, pollutants and micro-organism under light sources, while the Anti-bacterial nano facemasks are able to block and stop the absorption and penetration of bacteria and viruses.
Testing and evaluation technologies to enhance industrial standards
Targeted for comfort testing of functional clothing, the world's first sweating manikin WalterTM was developed to simulate human perspiration and test the thermal insulation and moisture vapour resistance properties of fabrics. Another of the world's first invention is the Soft Mannequin which is made of a full size artificial skeleton resembling a human body with silicon-filled breasts and is designed for women's intimate apparel testing.
FabricEyeTM is the world's first artificial intelligence-enabled fabric evaluation machine with the ability to capture the surface image and determine the grade of the fabric in a reliable and cost-effective way. Besides, the Moisture Management Tester (MMT) is able to test the liquid moisture management capability of textiles such as knitted and woven fabrics through advanced sensor technology.
IT Application Platform for marketing
Smart Dressing Mirror and Smart Fitting Room - using RFID technology, the system helps fashion retailers to improve their customer service by recommending more items that are drawn from the mix-and-match database for fitting.
With ITC's proven track record and contributions for the region, PolyU was chosen to be the host for Hong Kong Research Institute for Textile and Apparel (HKRITA) opened in 2006. ITC will continue to play a key role in contributing its expertise and knowledge for technology innovation of the region at large.
To learn more on how our proprietary technologies can assist your business, you are welcome to contact us (Miss Kit Chan at tel: (852) 3400-2713) for any collaboration or consultancy opportunity.
