PolyU Receives Donation to Drive AI in Fashion Sustainability
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is set to supercharge sustainable fashion research after receiving a significant donation from the GS Charity Foundation. The funding empowers the School of Fashion and Textiles (SFT) to launch an ambitious programme exploring how artificial intelligence and next‑gen digital platforms can transform design workflows, manufacturing, and brand ecosystems with sustainability at the core.
The initiative was unveiled at a campus ceremony led by Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, and Mr. Yeung Fan, Vice-chairman and General Manager of Glorious Sun Group. A handcrafted textile memento was exchanged to mark the partnership—an emblem of PolyU’s gratitude and a nod to the project’s fusion of craftsmanship and computation.
PolyU’s leadership underscored that AI is now a strategic pillar of Hong Kong’s reindustrialisation and smart city agenda. With the university’s research depth and talent pipeline, the collaboration is designed to cultivate specialists who can apply AI across the fashion value chain, strengthening Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area as hubs for apparel innovation. Glorious Sun Group emphasized its decades-long relationship with PolyU, noting that the donation extends a shared commitment to innovation, talent development, and environmentally responsible growth in the industry.
AI Meets Sustainable Style
From generative design to predictive planning, AI is rapidly rewriting how apparel is conceived, tested, and sold. This programme aims to bridge traditional fashion expertise with cutting-edge technologies—including blockchain, the Internet of Things, and immersive tools—to cut waste, shorten development cycles, and protect creative IP. Expect digital-first practices like virtual sampling, material simulation, and data-driven pricing to complement the artistry of patternmaking and textile craft. For consumers, the ripple effects could include better product fit, greater transparency, and more responsible consumption.
Following the announcement, Prof. Joanne Yip, Associate Dean of SFT, outlined how AI, automation, and platform economies are reshaping the sector—from supply chain orchestration to real-time consumer engagement. The research agenda is broad, multidisciplinary, and directly aimed at measurable sustainability gains.
Inside the Research Agenda
The project will explore seven core fronts where AI and digital platforms can deliver immediate value:
- Intelligent, data-led design pipelines that combine trend analytics, generative tools, and designer intuition to reduce sampling rounds and material waste.
- AI-assisted product assessment for apparel—automated review and quality insights to flag fit issues, pattern conflicts, or construction risks before production.
- Digital material and drape simulation to evaluate fabric behavior, aesthetics, and durability virtually, cutting physical prototypes and carbon impact.
- Smart cost forecasting to estimate materials, labor, energy, and logistics, improving pricing accuracy and margins while supporting sustainable choices.
- Supply chain collaboration powered by shared data layers—integrating IoT signals, traceability tools, and secure ledgers to ensure ethical sourcing and compliance.
- Mining online consumer feedback for sentiment, fit concerns, and usage patterns, feeding continuous improvement in both design and after-sales service.
- AI-optimized live commerce and social retail, aligning inventory, storytelling, and influencer content with real-time audience behavior to reduce overproduction.
Beyond these pillars, the team will investigate how blockchain can safeguard design provenance and how IoT can monitor lifecycle performance, from factory floors to wardrobes. Immersive visualization—think virtual try-ons, digital twins of garments, and interactive lookbooks—will also be explored to cut returns and elevate accessibility without sacrificing sustainability targets.
Impact for Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area
The initiative positions PolyU as a catalyst for greener, smarter fashion manufacturing in the region. By nurturing AI-literate designers, merchandisers, and engineers, it supports a new workforce capable of balancing creativity with computational rigor. Suppliers benefit from clearer demand signals and traceable workflows; brands gain resilience and transparency; and consumers see better-fitting, responsibly made products.
Ultimately, the donation accelerates a shared vision: a fashion ecosystem where heritage craft meets algorithmic precision, and where sustainability is not an afterthought but a design constraint from day one. For a city intent on leading in advanced manufacturing and digital innovation, the timing couldn’t be better.
