Open Lab – enabling collaboration and research
We’ve moved from talking about solutions to testing them in practice. Our partner, The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), with support from H&M Foundation, operates Open Lab – a space where the textile industry comes together to test ideas and see what works in practice.
Open Lab is a physical space in Hong Kong where brands, manufacturers, innovators and researchers work side by side to develop and test new solutions for the textile industry.
It was created as part of the Planet First programme, with the aim of accelerating solutions that can be piloted, refined and scaled. But more importantly, to understand what it actually takes for them to be used in the practise.
Instead of keeping research behind closed doors, Open Lab brings ongoing work into the open – allowing industry partners to test, adapt and improve solutions together in real time.
What happens at Open Lab?
Open Lab is an working environment where ideas are tested and turned into real applications – often together with industry partners.
It is used to:
- test technologies in real production settings
- develop products and prototypes
- explore how solutions fit into existing supply chains
- bring together different parts of the value chain to work on shared challenges
In many cases, the challenge is not whether a solution works , but how it can be applied, and by whom.
How it works
Open Lab focuses on three areas:
- solving industry challenges
- showcasing solutions
- providing a space for industry-wide collaboration
The space is divided into two parts.
- Pilot Plant – a working environment for industrial-scale trials and demonstrations, where technologies are tested under real conditions.
- Fashion Future Lab – a flexible space for early-stage ideas, where new approaches can be developed and refined.
A place for collaboration
Open Lab brings together stakeholders from across the textile value chain, from manufacturers and brands to innovators and researchers, to work on challenges together.
The ambition is to connect research with real-world application and shorten the path from idea to implementation.
Open to the industry
Open Lab is open to industry partners who want to explore solutions, test technologies or develop new collaborations.
HKRITA hosts:
- visits and guided tours
- trials and product development projects
- workshops, sessions and industry discussions
If you are interested in working with the technologies or seeing them in action, you can get in touch with HKRITA to learn more or plan a visit.
Why Open Lab matters
The textile industry does not lack ideas – but turning ideas into practice is complex. Open Lab exists to bridge that gap: to move from research to application, and from potential to real-world use.
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