Even the most innovative and sustainable next-gen materials are only as good as the fashions they can be transformed into. That’s why NEXT@Fashion InStyle, a newly launched zone at Hong Kong’s all-in-one sourcing platform Fashion InStyle, is gathering cutting-edge designers to create garments with next-gen materials to showcase what is possible.
The show, held April 27-30, 2025 and organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Situated within the larger show floor of some 400 exhibitors featuring textiles, fashion technology, sustainable solutions, seasonal apparel, accessories and industry partners, the NEXT@Fashion InStyle zone will spotlight more than 60 new and next-gen materials suppliers. Han Chong, the founder of designer label Self Portrait, is the ambassador.
Designers and brands seeking alternatives to animal skins will discover pioneering and biodegradable materials made from seaweed, mushrooms, tequila waste, banana fiber, biodegradable alt-poly, recycled plastic bottles, natural dyes and much more.
Here, a look at how five emerging, Young Designer Contest (YDC) finalists and winners are utilizing them to fashionable effect.
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Gambiered Canton Silk x Kinyan Lam
Kinyan Lam graduated from MA Fashion Design Technology in London and has established a natural dyeing studio to highlight that craft. Working with Gambier Canton Silk, a silk originating in the 5th century from Guangdong province, he combines ancient craft with modern styling. The Gambiered Canton Silk is created by dyeing silk with gambier juice and covering it in soil from the Pearl River. The process creates silk with a copper color on one side and black on the other side.
AlgaFila & Lotuxilk x Arto Wong
A graduate of Hong Kong Poly U with a specialty in knitwear design and technology, Arto Wong will be exhibiting works made with both AlgaFila and Lotuxilk. AlgaFila from Hong Kong is made from seaweed, an extremely fast-growing plant that is 400 times more efficient than trees in CO2 capture. Lotuxilk, also from Hong Kong, is fiber extracted from stems of lotus, which grow naturally on lakes. It can be dyed with both natural and chemical dyes. The resulting fabric has the appearance of antique linen or raw silk, and is soft, breathable and crease-resistant.
Sustainable Denim x Jason Ying
Jason Ying graduated from Queensland University of Technology in Australia, later working as an intern at designer Han Chong’s Self-Portrait studio in London. Featuring his heavily deconstructed aesthetic, Ying’s works for the show utilize Advance Denim from Mainland China. Advance Denim is the first denim mill to incorporate sustainable fibers, resulting in moisture wicking, cool to the touch, smooth hand denim.
Functional Fabric x Johnson Chong
Johnson Chong shows how X-Pac® patterns and prints can be pulled together for a sustainable product with a unique aesthetic. Chong’s urban fashion upcycled designs caught the attention of local DJ Pitar Leung, which led to Johnson designing outfits for all DJ hosts at a music award ceremony.
AlgaFila x Toki Wong
A graduate of Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a BA (Honors) in Fashion (Knitwear Design & Technology), Toki Wong designs hip menswear under the label Kowloon City Boy. The collection shown at NEXT@Fashion InStyle will be constructed from AlgaFila fabric. Made from seaweed, AlgaFila is warmer, lighter and less bulky than other materials and is produced in a non-toxic, non-corrosive manner.
More next-gen materials
In addition to completed garments highlighted at NEXT@Fashion InStyle, the zone will also feature scores of exhibitors showing materials from around the world. Some callouts:
Fabric Future from Russia creates unique fabrics with state-of-the-art technology, which have been applied for industries ranging from fashion to medical, sports and automative.
CUEMAI from Mexico repurposes blue agave waste from tequila production into biodegradable, recyclable fibers. The winner of the Material category at Isola Design Awards 2024 (Dubai), these fibers reduce economic opportunities for farmers while reducing environmental impact.
MycoWorks from the United States is a biotechnology company founded by artists. The patented Fine Mycelium process engineers mycelium cells as they grow to create three-dimensional structures that are densely entwined, and inherently strong. A partnership with luxury house Hermes underscores the quality of this product.
CELYS from Australia is a biodegradable polymer that is an alternative to traditional polyester. This compostable polyester fiber meets both ASTM D6400 standard in the U.S. and EN13432 standard in the European countries.
Greenyarn (Bao Lan Textile, Bamboo Biocell, Mollis) from Vietnam focuses on sustainable bamboo yarn from the fast-regenerating grass. Cellulose-rich bamboo produces long, tensile bamboo fibers with natural health protecting properties.
International Victory from Vietnam focuses is transforming the fabric industry with banana tree trunks. Each year, approximately 2,000 thousand hectares of banana tree trunks are cut down, which can produce 360,000 tons of fiber.
MYCL / Mycotech Lab (Mylea – mushroom leather) from Indonesia turns waste into sustainable animal-free leather. Mycotech also uses natural dye extracted from roots, leaves and food waste, a process that is far less polluting than traditional tanning processes used for real cowhide.
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