In-person Hong Kong International Optical Fair returns

Written by Hong Kong Trade Development Council

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach ^[1] - 2 November 2023 - The 31st Hong Kong Optical Fair, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Optical Manufacturers Association (HKOMA), will return to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) as a physical exhibition for the first time since 2019. The physical event will run from 8 to 10 November under the EXHIBITION+ integrated physical-online mode, when about 700 exhibitors from 11 countries and regions will present the latest eyewear designs and products.

Regional pavilions will include Mainland China, Taiwan, Italy, Japan, Korea, Visionaries of Style and the HKOMA pavilion. The fair also has multiple themed exhibition areas to facilitate buyers' purchasing.

In response to the smart-glasses craze, this year's Optical Fair will feature the Smart Eyewear zone. Hong Kong exhibitor Solos Technology Limited will display smart glasses that combine ChatGPT and wearable technology AirGo™ 3. Hong Kong firm 3DNA Technology Limited uses software with 360-degree facial scanning technology to help customers tailor-make suitable glasses. Other themed zones will present professional eyewear, eyewear accessories, frames, lenses, contact lenses, diagnostic instruments, optical instruments and more.

The Brand Name Gallery, a focal point of the fair, features about 200 brands from around the world, such as Mainland China's A.Society, Hong Kong's Absolute Vintage Eyewear, bTd, Taiwan's CLASSICO, PARIM, reputable international brand such as agnès b and MINIMA from France; Anna Sui, Jill Stuart, New Balance, and VOY from the United States; Ted Baker and Vivienne Westwood from the United Kingdom; STEPPER from Germany; Japan's Masaki Matsushima, Matsuda, MIZ Gold, TiDOU, Korea's GENSDUMONDE, PEOPLE LUV ME and PLUME. The fair will feature eyewear shows, where professional models will showcase fashion eyewear trends from various places.

HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Sophia Chong, said: "The Hong Kong Optical Fair is back at the HKCEC. We are very pleased to welcome many new international brands from all over the world this year, including the fashion capitals of France, the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy, as well as Asian trendsetters from such places as Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The fair has incorporated many international elements while keeping up with the world's trends, demonstrating the reputation of Hong Kong as the capital of international exhibitions."

[Featured Exhibitors] The Optical Fair will showcase a variety of eyewear with innovative technologies as well as new products and services. Some of the featured exhibitors include:

ChatGPT Smart Eyewear [Solos Technology Limited - Booth: GH-B38] First-time Hong Kong exhibitor Solos Technology Limited will feature the latest collection AirGo™ 3, smart glasses which combine ChatGPT with wearable tech.

Users can press and hold an action button on the smart glasses' temple to ask ChatGPT a question. In response, they will see the reply through the lenses and also hear the answer read out. SolosTranslate is another ChatGPT-supported service, a live language translation with the power of voice. The nine supported languages include Cantonese, French, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Spanish. AirGo™ 3 with more than 100 patents, was officially released in SILMO in late September this year.

Renewable, recyclable, biodegradable materials 【Wingram Industrial Company Limited - Booth: 1E-D22】 Wingram Industrial Company Limited, dedicated to providing environmental solutions, specialises in frames made from BioAcetate S70 material – renewable, recyclable, biodegradable and biobased. The material has been tested with ISO 14855 standard for biodegradability, also certified by reputable third-party institutions such as Fraunhofer from Germany and Beta Analytic from the US. Performance advantages of BioAcetate S70 include protection against deforming, compatibility with all lenses and available for injection, making eyewear products sustainable, durable and aesthetic.

Environmental protection material sunglasses series 【Wing Fung Optical International Ltd. - Booth: 1D-G02】 BIG HORN, a Hong Kong creative eyewear brand, uses sustainable materials and won recognition with the CSE (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) Award presented at the MIDO show in Italy. These international award-winning (London Design Awards) sunglasses adopt medical eco-friendly materials (MEM) lenses and bio-degradable acetates, offer different colours for frames with detachable temples which can track fashion changes.

Fashion collaboration NFT launches collector's edition 【Kelfred Optical Ltd - Booth: GH-A08】 The brand A. Society from Mainland China focuses on the balance between wearability and art, and launched unisex sunglasses with local artist Lousy, inspired by the iconic 「Kissface」 graffiti pattern. At the same time, they also collaborated with local singer-songwriter Gareth. T to produce joint products.

360-degree scanning of the face for a personalised and fully customizable glasses experience 【3DNA Technology Limited - Booth: 1CON-046】 Local company 3DNA Eyewear will showcase its self-developed interactive eyewear customisation platform that can offer innovative and engaging eyewear retail experience. The kiosk format for retailers features backlit shelving, pull out frame drawers, 200 piece swatch display, adjustable 3D scanner mirror, and three high-definition monitors. The machine will scan and measure customer facial features through computer software, then display a 3D avatar on the screen. Customers can tailor-make personal style derived from more than 2,000 designs, ranging from materials, patterns and colours to bespoke features such as narrow frames and printed names, and the simulated wearing effect will be displayed on the monitor immediately.

Global retailers and suppliers are connected through the 3DNA open platform, therefore, the final order will be sent directly to the production factories in mainland China, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

The Optical Fair brings together the latest products from well-known exhibitors and new technologies related to eyewear. There are also a series of product promotions, conferences, seminars and the award presentation ceremony for the Eyewear Design Competition during the fair; visitors can find out about the latest developments in the optical industry. Hong Kong Optical Fair event details: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkopticalfair/en/intelligence-hub ^[2]

Fair Details (Physical) Date: 8 to 10 November (Wednesday to Friday) Time: (8 to 9 November) 9:30am – 6:30pm (10 November) 9:30am – 5pm Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre Admission: For trade visitors aged 18 or above only. Onsite Registration Fee: HK$100 per person (Free for e-Badge registration and pre-registered buyers)

Click2Match (Smart business-matching platform) Date: 1 to 17 November

Websites Hong Kong Optical Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkopticalfair/tc ^[3]

The 21^st Hong Kong International Optometric Symposium: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkopticalfair/tc/the-21st-hong-kong-international-optometric-symposium ^[4]

Hashtag: #HKTDC

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