Gap has partnered with the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (Hkrita) to develop sustainable solutions for the fashion industry and textiles that are recyclable and can be used for a long time.

The purpose of the collaboration is to change the apparel industry from a linear model to a circular model across the lifecycle of textiles through eco-friendly production processes and technology. Initial research projects to create sustainable solutions for the fashion industry will focus on separating spandex from used garments and denim decolorisation for recycling. The first project will be conducted by Hkrita in partnership with textile manufacturer Artistic Milliners to develop a sustainable separation technology that removes spandex using bio-solvents. In collaboration with denim manufacturer Arvind, the second research project will enhance the denim decoloring tech niche so that the cotton can be more easily reused or re-dyed. The research projects will run for two years and the technologies developed will be open for licensing.

Hkrita maintains close ties with industry and keeps abreast of developments so as to provide timely and workable solutions. Gap is positioned to solve sustainability challenges at scale, and this partnership with Hkrita is an important step to developing new solutions that impact the planet and are deeply important to its customers around the world.