Abu Dhabi has launched Naseej, a national initiative designed to move the UAE’s textile sector away from a throwaway model and towards a circular economy built on reuse, recycling, responsible consumption and industrial innovation.Established under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the National Initiative for Textile Circularity brings together the National Projects Office, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, Emirates Foundation and Tadweer Group as core partners. The programme is intended to serve as a single national platform for policy coordination, industry participation, research, behavioural change and public engagement across the textile value chain.
The initiative comes as textile waste has become a growing environmental and economic challenge for the UAE and the wider global fashion industry. Annual textile waste in the UAE is estimated at about 220,000 tonnes, while global textile waste is estimated at around 92 million tonnes a year. Clothing production doubled between 2000 and 2015, while the average period of garment use fell by more than a third, highlighting the pressure created by fast fashion, weak repair systems and limited recycling infrastructure.
Naseej is structured around five main pillars: collection and recycling, awareness and outreach, behavioural research, policies and regulations, and circular business and innovation. The framework is aimed at strengthening textile collection networks, supporting recycling infrastructure, encouraging new business models and helping consumers and companies keep materials in use for longer.
Officials have positioned the initiative as part of the UAE’s broader Circular Economy Policy 2031, which seeks to reduce waste, improve resource efficiency and create new economic value from materials that would otherwise be discarded. The programme also builds on preparatory work that began during COP28, when partners started developing a national approach to textile circularity through agreements with fashion brands, manufacturers, recyclers, research institutions and community organisations.
Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects, said Naseej reflects the country’s commitment to sustainability as a shared national responsibility. She said the initiative seeks to turn environmental challenges into durable opportunities through behavioural change, responsible resource use and community participation.
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs and Chairman of Emirates Foundation, said the initiative represents an important step in embedding circular economy principles into the UAE’s development model. He described the effort as a platform bringing together institutions, industry, youth and the wider community to rethink how resources are valued and preserved.
Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, said the initiative establishes a national framework that aligns policy, industry action and public participation under a shared circular economy vision. The ministry’s role places Naseej within the country’s wider economic diversification agenda, where sustainability is increasingly being treated as an industrial and investment priority rather than a separate environmental concern.
The initiative’s launch also reflects growing international attention on the environmental footprint of fashion and textiles. The sector accounts for an estimated 2 to 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, contributes significantly to microplastic pollution and consumes vast quantities of water across production, dyeing, washing and finishing processes. Textile recycling remains technically difficult because many garments contain blended fibres, dyes, zippers, buttons and finishes that make sorting and recovery costly.
Naseej’s emphasis on behavioural research signals that the UAE is seeking to address not only end-of-life waste but also consumer habits. Awareness campaigns and public participation are expected to encourage repair, reuse, donation, responsible purchasing and proper disposal. The first community activation, The Fabric of Possibility, is scheduled to run from 5 to 7 June 2026 at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, with an immersive format designed for families and individuals. The experience is expected to move to other parts of the country in later phases.
Tadweer Group’s involvement gives the initiative a practical link to waste management systems, while Emirates Foundation is expected to support community mobilisation and volunteering. The Ministry of Economy and Tourism will help align the programme with market development and regulatory priorities, while the National Projects Office will support coordination across public and private stakeholders.
For fashion retailers, manufacturers and recyclers, Naseej could accelerate demand for circular design, repair services, resale platforms, textile-to-textile recycling and alternative materials. It may also encourage stronger reporting standards and clearer rules for collection, sorting and processing as the sector matures.
The initiative faces operational challenges common to textile circularity programmes worldwide. Scaling collection points, improving fibre sorting, creating commercially viable recycling capacity and persuading consumers to shift habits will require sustained coordination. Many recycling technologies remain expensive, while low-cost imported garments can weaken incentives to repair or reuse clothing. The success of Naseej will therefore depend on whether national coordination can produce measurable changes in waste volumes, material recovery and private-sector investment.
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