United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unveiled a sweeping national initiative aimed at addressing the growing environmental burden of discarded clothing, as the Gulf nation intensifies efforts to build a circular economy and reduce industrial waste.
The programme, named Naseej (Arabic for “fabric”), was launched under directives from President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is positioned as the country’s first integrated National Initiative for Textile Circularity. Officials say the initiative will coordinate policy, industry participation, research and public engagement across the entire textile value chain, from production and consumption to reuse and recycling.
According to state media cited in the launch announcement, the UAE generates roughly 220,000 tonnes of textile waste annually, much of it in the form of discarded clothing. Authorities say the figure highlights an escalating sustainability challenge driven by rising consumption, population growth, and the rapid expansion of fast fashion retail models.
The initiative was formally introduced by senior officials including Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairwoman of the Presidential Court for National Projects, who described textile waste as both an environmental challenge and an opportunity for long-term behavioural change.
“Naseej reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to sustainability as a shared national responsibility,” she said, adding that the initiative aims to encourage “responsible resource use” while promoting public participation and volunteerism in waste reduction efforts. She said the programme reflects a forward-looking vision that turns environmental challenges into economic and social opportunities.
The launch comes as governments worldwide step up efforts to confront the environmental footprint of the global fashion industry. Industry studies have long estimated that textiles contribute significantly to global carbon emissions, with some assessments placing fashion’s share at around 10% of global emissions. Environmental pressure points include water-intensive cotton production, chemical dyeing processes, and landfill overflow from discarded garments.
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In the UAE, officials say the growing scale of textile consumption has been accelerated by fast fashion trends and increasing demand for low-cost, rapidly changing apparel. This has contributed to shorter clothing lifecycles and higher disposal rates, placing pressure on waste management systems.
The government says Naseej will act as a national coordination platform linking regulators, manufacturers, retailers, recyclers and civil society organisations. The programme will also focus on strengthening textile collection infrastructure, improving sorting and recycling capabilities, and supporting innovation in sustainable fabric design and reuse technologies.
Officials including Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri said the initiative aligns with the country’s broader strategy to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. He said Naseej establishes a unified framework that integrates policy direction with private sector engagement and community participation, reinforcing the UAE’s long-term circular economy vision.
As part of its early rollout, the initiative will host its first public activation, “The Fabric of Possibility,” from June 5 to 7 at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi. The immersive event is designed to raise awareness about textile waste through interactive installations and educational experiences that encourage consumers to rethink clothing consumption habits.
The UAE has increasingly positioned sustainability at the centre of its national development agenda. In recent years, it has introduced multiple initiatives targeting waste reduction across sectors. These include nationwide efforts to reduce food loss under the Ne’ma programme, which aims to halve food waste by 2030 in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Officials have previously stated that nearly 40% of food in the country is wasted annually, representing billions of dirhams in economic loss. Parallel to this, the UAE has also introduced stricter regulations on single-use plastics, including bans on plastic bags and expanded restrictions on disposable items such as cutlery, containers and straws.
Environmental analysts say the expansion of policy focus from food and plastic waste to textiles signals a broader maturation of the UAE’s sustainability agenda. By targeting multiple high-waste sectors simultaneously, the country is seeking to build an integrated circular economy model that reduces reliance on landfill disposal and promotes material recovery.
Industry observers also note that textile circularity presents both environmental and economic opportunities, particularly in recycling innovation, sustainable manufacturing, and second-hand retail markets. However, they caution that success will depend on consumer participation, industry compliance, and the scalability of recycling infrastructure.
With Naseej, the UAE is now positioning itself among the regional leaders in textile sustainability policy. Officials say the initiative will continue to evolve through partnerships with private sector stakeholders, research institutions and community organisations, with the goal of embedding circular economy principles into everyday consumption patterns.
