HKRITA signs MOUs with Shinshu University and Seiko Epson Corporation

The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel Limited (HKRITA) is proud to announce that in March it signed separate Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with two major research and industry partners: Shinshu University and Seiko Epson Corporation. The agreements will promote creative research partnerships to develop technologies that are both useful to industry and beneficial to society.

HKRITA’s relationship with Shinshu University dates back to 2013 with the signing of the first MOU with the University’s Fiber Innovation Incubator (Fii). A second MOU was signed in 2018 to continue successful collaboration in a series of research projects in the areas of evaluation systems, material science, and recycling technologies.

The MOU between HKRITA and Seiko Epson Corporation will promote R&D collaboration in material recycling. Research projects will be carried out by professionals of both parties who have strong industry and research backgrounds in the areas of textiles, mechanics, electronics, and digital technologies.

Mr Edwin Keh, CEO of HKRITA said, “I am excited about this exceptional and unprecedented collaboration. Shinshu University is a long-term research partner, while Seiko Epson is one of our valuable international partners that is not part of the textile and clothing industries. The two memoranda bring us together to pursue international exchange and collaboration, striving for technology breakthroughs across a range of industries while at the same time applying research results to benefit society.”

Prof Hideaki Morikawa, Dean of Faculty of Textile Science and Technology, Shinshu University said, “In the Anthropocene Epoch, we are at the very moment when we must seriously consider the future of the textile and apparel industry. It is important for like-minded people across borders to work together systematically to address the challenges in the areas of science and technology, business, and markets. The collaboration between HKRITA and Fii will be a close partnership in this spirit, and we hope that it will shape our industry as we move towards a sustainable future.”

Mr Satoru Hosono, Deputy General Administrative Manager of Epson’s Technology Development Division said, “Epson aims to become carbon negative and eliminate the use of non-renewable underground resources by 2050, and to realize a society that is both sustainable and enriched. As part of this, we hope that our collaboration with HKRITA and its excellent textile recycling technology will help us to create an industrial structure with low environmental impact in terms of both CO2 emissions and use of underground resources.”