The UAE is translating its textile waste management ambitions into a national-level circular system, partnering with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to develop a policy framework aimed at extending the lifespan of clothing.

This collaboration builds on the "Naseej" national textile circularity initiative launched in June, guided by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with preparations dating back to the COP28 climate conference. It is estimated that the UAE consumes approximately 500 million textile items annually, generating about 220,000 tonnes of textile waste, of which 88% is landfilled and nearly 60% of garments are rarely worn.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation will work with the UAE to design a nationwide framework covering collection, reuse, recycling, and circular business models and policies. A baseline assessment of the UAE's textile landscape has been completed, strategic priorities identified, and governance structures established. UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri stated that the goal is to transform fragmented, voluntary initiatives into an organized national system to scale circular textile solutions.

The challenge lies in the difficulty of textile recycling. Etienne Petit, CEO of Tadweer Group, noted that mixed fibers, trims, and coatings make recycling technically and economically difficult, while insufficient sorting and recycling capacity could leave collected garments with nowhere to go. "Naseej" seeks to coordinate solutions across these links.

Currently, the initiative has brought together more than 35 organizations spanning government, retail, waste management, reuse, recycling, and technology sectors, with recent partners including Landmark Group, LuLu Group, Rebound, Miniwiz, Fabricaid, and Thrift for Good. Several pilot projects have been launched, such as retail store take-back, residential textile collection, school uniform recycling, and circular uniform programs for the hospitality, aviation, logistics, and healthcare industries. LuLu Retail plans to set up textile recycling points in selected stores.

Policy is regarded as one of the key pillars. "Naseej" lists policy and regulation as one of its five pillars, with plans to develop regulatory frameworks, incentives, and standards to accelerate the transition. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has long advocated for governments to remove economic barriers to resale and repair through policy, and to support infrastructure and investment for textile-to-textile recycling.

Jocelyn Blériot, the foundation's Executive Lead for Policy and Institutions, said that as a global textile transshipment and trade hub, the UAE has an opportunity to put circular economy ambitions into practice, and its framework could serve as a reference for Gulf and other Global South countries. Unlike the EU's approach through fragmented regulations, the UAE is attempting to coordinate collection, infrastructure, business development, and policymaking under a single national initiative.

However, diverting textiles from landfill does not equate to circularity—resold or repaired garments, garments exported for reuse, and garments shredded into low-value materials all avoid disposal but retain different levels of value. Therefore, building collection networks is only the first step; sorting, reuse, and recycling capacity must also be enhanced to find outlets for collected materials.

Later this year, "Naseej" will release its first "UAE Fashion Circularity Status" report, assessing the fashion industry's readiness for circular transition. For the UAE, success may ultimately be measured by what happens after collection, rather than the volume collected itself.

Source: UAE Taps Ellen MacArthur Foundation to Take Textile Circularity National · Originally published 2026-08-18