PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY WITH INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES

18 Apr 2024

Intertek Hong Kong Driving Sustainability in Textiles

Recognising the pressing need for environmentally friendly practices in the textile industry, Intertek Hong Kong hosted an exclusive special forum themed “Sustainability in Textiles” at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. The event aimed to highlight the significance of sustainability and its implications for the garment industry.

Some 50+ industry players gathered at the event, including: Amer Sporting, Carter's, Chico's, John Lewis, Sterling & Grant, plus more.

Guest speakers included Ms. Karen Ho, Head of Corporate & Community Sustainability, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Prof. Joanne Yip, Associate Dean of the School of Fashion & Textiles, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Prof. Felix Chung, a former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, representing the Textiles and Garment constituency.

Not only did the esteemed speakers share their insights on prioritising sustainability in the garment industry during their individual presentations, their engagement with the audience during panel discussion “How are we going to navigate the sustainability trends in the textile industry?” received overwhelming responses.

Ms. Ho encouraged brands and manufacturers to actively embrace sustainable practices and reaping the benefits of becoming green brands. Prof. Yip elaborated on how educational institutions’ voice can empower the next generation in making green choices. Prof. Chung highlighted the challenges the industry faces in balancing sustainability and business. It is agreed that Third Party Textile Environmental Certification is a critical component of ESG and sustainability communications for brands and consumers.

Riding on the keen discussion, our Softlines Team demonstrated how Intertek helps apparel brands, retailers and manufacturers measure the environmental impact of textile products from fiber, through the finished garment with our bespoke solutions such as: PFAS Chemical Testing, Green Leaf Mark Certification, Biodegradability Testing and Microfiber Shedding Assessment Solutions.

Dr. Winnie Lo, Hong Kong Softlines General Manager, said:

"What a great honour for us to host this ECO forum that served as a meaningful platform for the apparel industry to exchange eco ideas. Intertek has been a trusted partner to the world’s leading brands, manufacturers and distributors in the fashion and textiles industry for decades with our ATIC services with everything from footwear chemical testing to functional textiles testing, physical performance evaluation and more. We are always looking forward to assist brands to complement their current product safety program and sustainability policy and demonstrate their commitment to product quality.”