To demonstrate that recycled PET bottles can be given a new life – again and again – thus helping to foster recycling habits of the public, The Coca-Cola Company in Hong Kong joins hands with the City Plaza in launching Hong Kong's first ever 'Recycle Bar', in response to World Environment Day on June 5.

"Recycle Bar" opens on June 2 and runs through June 11. Decorated with more than 30 pieces of bar furniture made out of 18,000 plastic bottles by 3D-printing, and with a collection of rPET turned everyday items that is exhibited on spot, the 'Recycle Bar' aims to raise public awareness about proper collection and recycling of used resources (e.g., plastic bottles) to minimize carbon footprint. Visitors are encouraged to recycle used PET bottles for redemption of free beverages and rPET-made souvenirs.

Giving rPET a second life – furniture and everyday items made out of rPET

When recycled properly, PET is a useful material that can be reused again and again. To showcase its endless possibilities, The Coca-Cola Company in Hong Kong has transformed 18,000 recycled PET bottles into bar furniture like bar counter, bar stools, tables and chairs, which are all locally produced. After the exhibition, the furniture will be reused at an 'Recycling Academy' experience center, which is also part of The Coca-Cola Company's public education efforts.

Apart from rPET furniture, rPET can also be "reborn" into everyday accessories that we need in our daily life. A collection of rPET accessories from the U.S., Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong market are also exhibited in the "Recycle Bar", showing consumers what can be achieved if the community starts to recycle PET bottles together.

From bottle to bottle – the secret behind PET recycling process

"Recycle Bar" is also an educational exhibition for recycling as it unveils the procedures of PET recycling inside a recycling facility, showing consumers how a used bottle can become a brand-new beverage container for new drinks in a plastic recycling 'loop'. Consumers are also invited to experience one of the recycling procedures by shredding PET bottles in the 'Recycle Bar'. Consumers may also learn more about proper recycling of beverage packaging.

"In addressing environmental issues, we believe everyone should be accounted for and be accountable. Through public displays like Recycle Bar, as well as other roadshows and workshops that provide consumers with knowledge and experience in PET bottle recycling, we invite Hong Kong people to get inspired through seeing how used PET bottles can be given a new life - again and again - if returned and recycled properly. We encourage our consumers to become aware of their recycling habits - and to change them if necessary - thus partnering with us in helping to build a World Without Waste," said Marella Canepa Risso, Franchise Operations Director, Hong Kong and Macau, The Coca-Cola Company.

Marella continued: "This effort echoes Bonaqua®'s long-time commitment to sustainable solutions and inspiring more consumers to adopt sustainable lifestyle. The locally produced Bonaqua® Mineralized Water (2L or below) already uses 100% rPET for production, with its bottle 52.8% lighter than conventional PET bottles. We also launched label-less bottles in the Hong Kong and Taiwan markets over the past couple of years in order to further reduce the use of plastics and increase the bottles' recyclability."

"At Swire Properties, sustainable development (SD) is central to our business philosophy and company culture. With our SD2030 Strategy, we have been taking actions to contribute to resources management and circularity. Materials recycling facilities have been set up in our developments to foster a healthy recycling ecosystem. We are happy to support Coca-Cola in launching the Recycle Bar with an aim to foster a healthy recycling culture in Hong Kong. In order to establish a city-wide recycling culture in Hong Kong, it is important for us to enhance public education as well as build up a recycle-friendly city with user-friendly facilities," stated Aileen Chan, General Manager from Cityplaza.

Recycle to redeem free beverage and rPET souvenirs

"Recycle Bar" invites consumers to return plastic bottles with which the organizers can later produce many everyday items. To encourage consumers to establish the habit of recycling, consumers can collect points upon recycling PET bottles, and redeem different kinds of beverages such as Bonaqua® Mineralized Water, which uses 100% rPET for the production of its bottles, as well as other Coca-Cola rPET souvenirs like jacket, polo shirt and pencil cases.

Weekend DIY planting workshops with rPET

Consumers are invited to participate in the DIY planting workshops with rPET over the weekends for free! Each participant can receive a limited edition rPET flowerpot, which is made out of 2 recycled PET bottles. They may have a guided private tour at the Recycle Bar, in which they will enjoy a planting lesson with a succulent plant, as well as turning their own rPET flowerpot into a unique art piece. The tutor will also share knowledge about rPET as well as proper recycling.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is a total beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries. In Hong Kong, the company has a portfolio covering sparkling, sweetened and unsweetened tea, juice, sports drink, water, enhanced hydration beverages, etc. We have 15 brands offering 70 different variants such as "Coca-Cola", "Coca-Cola No Sugar", "Coke Plus", "Sprite", "Fanta", "Schweppes", "OOHA", "Bonaqua" Mineralized Water, "Authentic Tea House", "Minute Maid", "Minute Maid Qoo", "Glaceau vitaminwater", "Yeung Gwong", "Aquarius", "Healthworks", and "Kochakaden" CRAFTEA". We are constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market.

The "The Real Entrepreneur Show" aims to assist Hong Kong youth entrepreneurs aged 18-30 in developing their creative ideas and leadership skills. It also encourages more young people to choose entrepreneurship as a career path. Through providing entrepreneurship support to winners, the program aims to help young people realize their entrepreneurial dreams. To do this, the program will offer a range of resources, such as mentorship, networking opportunities, and funding. This program will help winners bring their ideas to life. The program is jointly organized by JCI Ocean and BNI Leaders.

Titus Chan, Vice President of JCI Ocean, said that since joining the organization, he has actively participated in various work plans. He has provided leadership development opportunities for young people through this program, promoting positive change. He hopes to unleash the potential of young people by participating in various activities, gaining experience and enriching themselves, and cultivating young people to become "today's aspiring entrepreneurs, tomorrow's leaders." Through continuous efforts, he has become an outstanding representative of the organization and the business community and hopes to attract more young people to join the ranks of opportunity and challenge.

The "The Real Entrepreneur Show" program is divided into three stages, including multiple workshops, inviting experts to share entrepreneurial information and knowledge, and assisting participants in realizing their entrepreneurship dreams. The workshops cover a variety of entrepreneurial topics. These include social media workshops, social platform fan growth and monetization crash courses, Startup Fund, Start It Fun, etc.

In an interview, Titus believes that in today's global economy, young entrepreneurs need funding and resources to support their ideas. The recent pandemic and inflation have been significant challenges for young entrepreneurs. Even with the difficulties, he believes that such experiences can motivate young entrepreneurs and lead to better development after economic recovery. Titus has a positive attitude toward the local entrepreneurial environment. He strongly believes that through hard work and innovation, young entrepreneurs can overcome difficulties and create more value and contributions to society.

The "The Real Entrepreneur Show" program aims to help young people learn how to start a business through a series of workshops, competitions, and activities. Additionally, Titus says participants can meet company leaders in different fields and gain access to established networks. He encourages young people to seize every opportunity and unleash their potential because opportunities like this can come at any time. By participating in these activities, young people can gain valuable experience and skills and establish their social network. This will prepare them for their future entrepreneurial journey.

In addition, the "The Real Entrepreneur Show" also includes a one-day boss activity, allowing participants to practice business models and gain practical experience. This activity provides participants with real-life experience of running a business, understanding the complexities of the business environment, and working together with peers to develop and implement a successful business strategy. Young people can learn valuable entrepreneurial experience and skills from it, paving the way for their future entrepreneurial journey. The program hopes to encourage more Hong Kong youth to explore their own path to success.

A Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) collaborative research team has shown that urine tests for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) can identify the risk of end-organ diseases such as pneumonitis, gastrointestinal ulcers, hepatitis and myocarditis, earlier in patients who have been infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The findings suggest that HCMV detection in urine should be implemented as a routine test for HIV-1 patients who are progressing towards acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), as anti-HCMV treatments could reduce the incidence of lung and cardiovascular end-organ diseases by half.

HIV-1 infection is divided into four clinical stages. In the first stage, patients are infected and some experience mild illnesses such as a cold without any apparent symptoms. HIV-1 infection then slowly progresses towards AIDS in the second and third stages of infection. These two stages, collectively regarded as the "developing" stage, usually last several years if they are comprehensively controlled by a range of medications before developing into AIDS, which represents the fourth stage of HIV-1 infection.

HCMV is a DNA virus found in more than half of the human population. It is controlled by an intact immune system and remains dormant in healthy individuals. However, it can be reactivated in patients with poor immune systems, such as those in the fourth stage of HIV-1 infection, and as a result it can become one of the major opportunistic infections that cause life-threatening end-organ diseases. In Hong Kong, HCMV detection is not part of the routine check-ups for HIV-1 patients unless they suffer from apparent end-organ diseases. In such cases, blood tests are the preferred method of detection.

A research team co-led by Dr Allen Cheung Ka-loon, Assistant Professor of the Department of Biology at HKBU, and Professor Chen Zhiwei, Professor of the Department of Microbiology, LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong, in collaboration with researchers from the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, investigated the detection of HCMV in urine for the continuous monitoring of end-organ disease risk in HIV-1 patients. They also examined the relationship between HCMV detection and end-organ diseases in HIV-1 patients in the "developing" stage.

Easier to detect HCMV in urine than in blood

The team screened the records of more than 130,000 HIV-1 patients in Shenzhen between January 2011 and June 2022, and selected about 13,700 patients with relevant blood and urine test records. They were grouped according to the four stages of HIV-1 infection, and the results of their HCMV blood and urine tests were then compared.

It was discovered that in all the four patient groups, the proportions of patients found to be HCMV-positive were higher in the urine samples than in the corresponding blood samples. The situation was particularly obvious for HIV-1 patients in the "developing" stage. Urine tests showed that 5.8% of second-stage HIV-1 patients were HCMV-positive compared to only 0.9% using blood tests. The proportions of third-stage HIV-1 patients found to be HCMV-positive using urine and blood tests were 12.8% and 1.4%, respectively. This suggests that HCMV is more easily detected in urine than in the blood, especially during the "developing" stage of HIV-1 infection.

The researchers further filtered 233 "developing" stage HIV-1 patients with detailed clinical and disease records to evaluate the association between HCMV and the onset of different types of end-organ diseases. Statistical analysis revealed that there is a significant association between the incidence of lung and cardiovascular end-organ diseases and the detection of HCMV in urine.

Early anti-HCMV treatment lowers the risk of end-organ diseases

To study the effect of early interventions with anti-HCMV treatments, the team tracked the data of 54 "developing" stage HIV-1 patients who had been hospitalised at least once. They were divided into three groups: those who received no anti-HCMV treatments, those who received treatments but not during each round of hospitalisation, and those who received treatments during all rounds of hospitalisation.

The data showed that those who received anti-HCMV treatments in all rounds of hospitalisation had the lowest incidence of lung and cardiovascular end-organ diseases. Furthermore, compared to those who had not received anti-HCMV treatments, the incidence of such end-organ diseases in patients who had received the treatments was reduced by half. This suggests that continuous anti-HCMV treatments are effective in reducing the onset of lung and cardiovascular end-organ diseases in patients who are progressing towards AIDS.

Dr Allen Cheung said: "Patients have to face a difficult journey once they have tested positive for HIV. They are often at risk of developing end-organ diseases without any apparent symptoms. Our study shows that routine urine tests for HCMV can monitor the development of end-organ diseases more effectively, which signals the need for early medical intervention. We thus recommend that HCMV detection in urine should be implemented as a routine test for HIV-1 patients."

The creative industry is a powerhouse of economic growth. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) unveiled seven creative events covering fashion, lifestyle and licensing at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The events are the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair; Home InStyle; the Hong Kong International Home Textiles and Furnishings Fair; Fashion InStyle and the Hong Kong International Printing and Packaging Fair, as well as the Hong Kong International Licensing Show and Asian Licensing Conference. As international business travel and commercial activities return to normal, these seven events have attracted more than 4,100 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions, covering gifts, home products, home textiles, fashion, printing and packaging solutions, licensing projects and more, while the Asian Licensing Conference has invited about 30 global industrial giants and insiders to share insights.

During a media tour, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Sophia Chong said: "HKTDC has always been committed to promoting Hong Kong creative and design industry to the world through exhibitions, conferences and other activities. This year, we are bringing together seven major events covering fashion, lifestyle and licensing in April under one roof for the first time, providing a unique platform to cultivate new possibilities for licensing business through accommodating more non-character IPs; broadening the IP portfolio to include art, culture and digital brands that are used in licensed gifts. We believe this will create greater synergies and will open up more business opportunities across industries and disciplines.

"As one of the world's most recognised cities for meetings, exhibitions, incentive and business travel, Hong Kong attracts high-quality exhibitors and buyers from around the globe. HKTDC exhibitions are known for their internationalisation, scale and comprehensive support facilities. This year, the exhibitions featured about 70% non-local exhibitors and welcomed numerous provincial and municipal delegations from Mainland China - a testament to the return of international businessmen to Hong Kong," she added.

The events have recruited more than 200 buying missions from 50 countries and regions, including buyers from the mainland, Japan, Korea, Association of Southeast Asian countries, India, the Middle East, Germany, France and the United States to source in Hong Kong. The EXHIBITION+ hybrid model extends business discussion beyond the physical shows until 29 April via the smart business matching platform Click2Match.

Designer brands showcase creative works in Cultural and Creative Corner

The exhibitions feature a diverse array of fashion and lifestyle products, with many institutions and companies joining for the first time. The Gifts Fair, Home InStyle and Home Textiles Fair feature over 2,800 exhibitors from 21 countries and regions. As the cultural and creative industries flourish, the Cultural and Creative Corner zone debuts at the Gifts Fair and Home InStyle to showcase designer brands and products with cultural characteristics, unique and tasteful designs. A mainland pavilion also debuts, bringing exclusive Chinese traditional handicrafts such as bamboo carvings, ceramics and paper-cutting lamps, showcasing the preservation and succession of intangible cultural heritage. At Home InStyle, the Zhejiang Pavilion features handcrafted home-decor products from different provincial cities under the Zhejiang Ingenuity: Culture and Quality theme. The Yuecheng District of Zhejiang Province is also participating in the Home Textiles Fair for the first time, showcasing high-quality bedding products.

Fashion InStyle has attracted about 500 exhibitors, including a debut Jiangxi Province pavilion where 25 exhibitors showcase fashion and accessories. The Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair also attracted 460 exhibitors with a new comer from Hungary. The international presences signal the strong revival of international business confidence in Hong Kong.

Promoting transformation of local creative force

The Hong Kong Houseware Fair has been renamed Home InStyle with the expectation of bringing more design and style-oriented products to buyers. The Hong Kong Industrial Designers Association (IDSHK) will join Home InStyle for the first time. The association's ReMIX brands and designers matching programme created design products in collaboration with local traditional brands such as Camel's vacuum flasks and Red Apple's home furniture, illustrating the power of design in brand rejuvenation. Other newcomers include local brand Inwork Synergy International Limited, which specialises in handcrafted wooden tableware, and Derangedesign Co. Limited, which won the A'Design Award for its iconic irregular stainless steel sculpture containers. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Exporters' Association highlights Hong Kong Smart Design Award winning pieces at the Gifts Fair to promote local design talents.

The HKTDC has been a staunch advocate for the development of local creative culture and protection of intellectual property. With the support of CreateHK, the DLAB Hong Kong Pavilion returned to the Licensing Show this year, gathering 45 locally produced, original intellectual properties - including SHIBAINC, Falling Cyan, Malut Design and 8EGGS Studio - displaying the products of Hong Kong creative minds.

Technology leads to sustainable future

Highlighted Fashion InStyle's zone InnoFashion and Trade Services focuses on fashion technology and trade services and showcases a variety of innovative fashion technologies, including the AiDLab of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which brings in world's first designer-led AI system (AiDA) that facilitates designer's inspiration and speeds up the whole ideation and design development process, improving the sustainability of the production chain. Headquartered in Israel, Hong Kong exhibitor Stratasys has developed a 3D printer that can print three-dimensional textile materials entirely with computers.

Demand for environment-friendly products continues to rise in global markets. About a quarter of the Printing & Packaging Fair exhibitors provide green printing and packaging products and services. Sustainability and safety certified products are also available in the Home Textiles Fair, including products made of organic and recycled materials with international certifications such as GRS, BSCI and OEKO-100.

Engaging dialogues on trending topics including ChatGPT and ESG

The AiDLab Summit debuted at Fashion InStyle. Academic experts such as Professor Sharon Baurley, Director and Professor of Design & Materials at the Materials Science Research Centre of the Royal College of Art and Professor Calvin Wong, Cheng Yik Hung Professor in Fashion at the School of Fashion and Textiles at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and Centre Director of AiDLab discussed artificial intelligence (AI) application in fashion design. The Feel the Pulse of the Upcoming Trend in 2023 seminar invited Euromonitor International Hong Kong Research Manager Herbert Yum and Ivan So, digital consultant at HDcourse, to share insights on global consumer trends as well as ChatGPT and its impact on business-to-business marketing implications.

Licensing Show displays over 500 brands and projects, signalling a thriving industry

Hong Kong is a bustling hub for licensors, licensees, agents and manufacturers and is the preferred partner for foreign licensors. This year's Hong Kong International Licensing Show showcased over 500 diverse licensing projects and brands; exhibitors include top global licensors and licensing agents such as CAA-GBG Global Brands Management Group, Medialink Group and WildBrain CPLG. The exhibition features nine large pavilions, the largest being the Mainland China Pavilion, along with those from Macao, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan, where exhibitors bring unique brands to Hong Kong.

At the concurrent Asian Licensing Conference, the first session featured Ben Peace, Vice President for the Asia Pacific at WildBrain CPLG (the agency for PEANUTS, Sonic Prime, and the Teletubbies); Maura Regan, President of Licensing International; and Miki Yamamoto, Senior Vice President, Licensing in Asia at IMG, who discussed global licensing developments, post-pandemic shifts in consumer behaviour and key factors reshaping the licensing landscape.