EMF to co-design UAE’s national textile recycling, circularity framework

UAE – The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has been engaged to co-design and deliver a national textiles circularity policy framework in the United Arab Emirates, as part of the UAE’s wider Naseej initiative to create a circular economy for fashion and textiles.

The policy framework aims to move the sector beyond linear consumption and disposal toward an integrated model that preserves resources, captures economic value and aligns sustainability goals with long-term national development. 

Naseej estimates that the UAE consumes roughly 500 million textile items annually and generates about 220,000 metric tons of textile waste, 88 percent of which ends up in landfill.

Nearly 60 percent of garments are rarely worn, according to the initiative. 

UAE’s Strategic Position in Global Textile Flows and Recycling Infrastructure

Jocelyn Bleriot, Policy and Institutions Executive Lead at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, stated that the UAE occupies an important place in global textile flows, notably as a re-export and trade hub, with such a position offering a significant opportunity to put the country’s circular economy ambitions into practice. 

He added that a successful policy framework in the UAE has the potential to serve as a replicable model for other countries in the Gulf and the wider Global South, where circular economy policy potential for textiles remains untapped. 

The Foundation brings directly relevant global experience to this collaboration, including a central role in shaping the EU Textile Strategy and Extended Producer Responsibility design across multiple jurisdictions.

Naseej Initiative and Circular Economy Goals for Textile Waste

The Naseej initiative, a Presidential-level programme launched in June 2026, aims to create a circular economy for fashion and textiles in the UAE. 

The initiative now encompasses more than 35 organisations and institutions spanning government, retail, waste management, reuse, recycling and technology. 

Several projects are already underway, including testing retail take-back and residential textile collection, as well as school-uniform recycling. 

LuLu Retail, which joined the initiative in July, plans to introduce textile recycling collection points at selected stores across the UAE. 

Circular uniform programs are also being developed for industries including hospitality, aviation, logistics and healthcare. 

The collaboration between the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the UAE will support the country’s wider circular economy agenda, including efforts to reduce waste, promote recycling and develop sustainable industries across multiple sectors.

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