Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 08 December 2023: Tadweer (Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company) today announced an ‘Integrated Textile Circularity Initiative’ to be established across the UAE, designed to increase consumer awareness and foster collective efforts among public-private partners. Through the initiative, Tadweer and partners will manage textile waste throughout the entire value chain.

The first-of-its-kind initiative was announced during COP28 which saw several leading UAE entities participate in an impactful panel at the UAE Actionist Hub Pavilion within the Green Zone. The partners convened to address the issue of textile waste and present a solution to achieving textile circularity in the UAE.

The panel gathered strategic enablers from the textile ecosystem with speakers from entities including Tadweer, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), Landmark Group, Lulu, SOEX, and Emirates Foundation (Ne’ma). The representatives engaged in meaningful dialogue focused on the opportunities and challenges surrounding the practical implementation and transition to textile circularity.

Commenting on the launch of the initiative and the success of the event, Ali Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and CEO, Tadweer, said: “Textile circularity plays a significant role in the UAE’s ambitious environmental and sustainability goals, and is an opportunity for partners in the public and private sectors to shift the approach to collection and recycling. By convening at COP28 and committing to this pledge, we are creating a blueprint for the development of dedicated community development programmes that educate, support, and lead businesses and consumers to recycle materials. This initiative also supports our efforts to promote the wider circular economy for a sustainable future.”

H.E Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO, Emirates Foundation said: “The Year of Sustainability and the hosting of COP28 in the UAE present a unique opportunity to accelerate our textile circularity initiatives. Through enhancing consumer awareness, building effective collection systems, and fostering recycling innovations, we are contributing significantly to the global dialogue on sustainable practices in the textile industry.”

To foster multidisciplinary collaboration, Tadweer followed the panel with an invitation for panellists and stakeholders to pledge their commitment to advancing textile circularity.

The UAE’s textile consumption is currently at around 500 million pieces annually, of which around 210,000 tonnes end up as discarded materials. Up to 90% of discarded textiles are currently ending up in landfills, which then release methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming and climate change. In order to reduce the impact of textiles on the environment, Tadweer stressed the importance of undertaking programs to scale the organized collection of used textiles.

The initiative will also address this vast area of opportunity with a variety of programs to target four pillars such as community awareness development, textile collection and recycling, enabling ecosystem participation, and national policy development. Through these pillars, the initiative aims to organize and expand the collection and recycling of used textiles throughout the UAE, establishing a comprehensive infrastructure to support with disposal efforts and encourage more sustainable consumption patterns among businesses and consumers at a grassroots level.

Leading entities in attendance comprised government authorities, ministries, charities, hotel chains, hospitals, and more, including representatives from the Behavioral Science Group, Emirates Red Crescent, Majid Al Futtaim, Aldar, Erth, Reloop, Kiswa, Fabric AID, Abu Dhabi National Hotels, Nadeera, Recapp, Washmen, and M42 Healthcare.