Edwin Keh ’79, chief executive of the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel (HKRITA), has helped develop a plant recycling system which will make a huge impact on the Hong Kong textiles industry.
A new spinning mill built in the Tai Po District of Hong Kong is able to produce yarn from discarded clothing material. The Tai Po Eco-friendly Cotton Mill is the first cotton mill built in the city in almost half a century, and it is a significant stride toward both restoring textile production in Hong Kong and improving the city’s environmental footprint. The fully equipped mill will be able to spin three tons of high-quality recycled cotton fiber from clothing waste. Not only does Keh’s sustainable textile recycling system quell ecological concerns related to producing cotton from scratch, but it also reduces the cost of yarn by nearly 30 percent.
Within its first year of opening, the innovative new mill has already earned the clientship of fashion giant H&M.
Keh, a current College Trustee, graduated from Whittier College with a B.A. in political science, sociology, and urban design. In addition to his work at HKRITA, Keh is also a visiting professor of business at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.