Intertek Hong Kong Promotes a Transparent, Traceable and Sustainable Future for Textiles at Cobalt Yarn Expo

02 Sep 2026

A dedicated event for yarn development, material trends and technological advancements

Hong Kong Softlines Team was recently invited to speak at the Cobalt Yarn Expo at The Explodium in Hong Kong. This expo brought together a wide network of key suppliers, mills, and industry partners to exchange ideas, and explore what is next for yarn sourcing and innovation ahead of the Fall/Winter 2027 season.

Cobalt Yarn Expo, organised by Cobalt Fashion, is a dedicated event focused on yarn development, material trends and technological advancements, providing a close-up view of seasonal direction for the industry.

Our Senior Business Development Manager, Carita Lam, spoke about the Materials Matter Standard (MMS), highlighting how it supports structured evaluation of material-related sustainability attributes. She also discussed Better Cotton Chain of Custody (CoC) certification, explaining how CoC helps organisations demonstrate credible handling of Better Cotton through the supply chain and build confidence in the integrity of sourcing claims.

Across the event, conversations consistently returned to the same priorities shaping the market: traceability, credible sustainability claims, and innovations across the supply chain. The expo also highlighted the importance of collaboration: aligning mills, manufacturers, and brands on consistent interpretation and implementation is increasingly necessary to achieve scale.

Jack Wong, General Manager, Softlines, Hong Kong, said:

“Cobalt Yarn Expo gave us an energising platform to connect with suppliers and hear firsthand how the market is evolving. As expectations around transparency, traceability, and performance accelerate, our team is committed to turning change into business value.”

Colm Deasy, CEO Asia, added:

“Intertek’s role is to help clients transform evolving requirements into robust systems and Total Quality Assurance - bringing quality, safety and sustainability to life. By partnering closely with customers across the supply chain, we help turn complexity into clarity, and commitments into measurable and credible progress.”