The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA) has received the Gold Award of the 2020 Hong Kong Green Innovations Awards (HKGIA) for its Garment-to-Garment Recycle System research project (G2G).

In addition, the project was recently recognized as one of the Good Design Best100 2021 by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. The Tokyo Midtown Design Hub is now hosting the Good Design Exhibition 2021, which will continue till November 21st, 2021.

The awards recognize the project as a cutting-edge technology that contributes to the industry's and society's long-term viability.

Edwin Keh, HKRITA’s CEO, said that their guiding ideas and work have been speed, scalability, and effect. Since its premiere in 2018, the G2G has already won 4 international and local honors. These two new awards add to the evidence that it is a scalable breakthrough with great impact potential.

The G2G is a unique mini-scale production line that recycles used garments into new ones in a retail shop in Hong Kong's Mills. The entire process takes place in a 40-foot container with double-glazed glass, allowing visitors to observe the entire recycling process while also deepening their experience by recycling their own used clothing.

The G2G project is already in its second phase, and it includes an AI system that estimates recycle process parameter values and automatically determines whether the fibers need to be reopened. A 3-in-1 fiber processing system is also added in the second phase technology, which boosts the system's automation and capacity. It connects to a 3D body scanner that measures consumers' shapes to guarantee that the recycled clothing fits properly.

G2G is an initiative funded by the Innovation and Technology Fund, as well as Novetex Textiles and the H&M Foundation.