A revolution is changing the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) fashion sector. An increasing number of businesspeople all over are rewriting the fashion story in a worldwide drive towards sustainability.
They are not just opposing the unsustainable practices of fast fashion, but also guiding a change toward circular fashion, an eco-aware style in which waste is considered a resource and clothing is made to last.
Circular fashion is a concept whereby clothing is made with durability, repaired or used when damaged, and finally recycled or biodegraded. It is quite different from the rapid fashion linear take-make-dispose model.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that every second, globally, a waste truck of textiles is landfilled or burned, so the stakes in MENA are great. MENA’s share of textile waste is fast expanding, given growing urban populations and rising consumption.
More than international aircraft and maritime transportation taken together, the UN Environment Programme estimates that the fashion business accounts for up to 10% of world carbon emissions.
Egypt, with its long history of textile work, is seeing entrepreneurs like Reform transform trash materials into chic bags and accessories. These goods not only benefit the environment; they are handcrafted by nearby artists, therefore honouring Egypt’s rich legacy and generating employment.
“Thrift for Good” in Dubai markets uses clothing and provides earnings to international organisations. According to reports, the retailer saved more than 40,000 kg of clothes from landfills just in 2023.
Designers are combining modern tastes with traditional workmanship all throughout Morocco, Tunisia, and Lebanon. While Tunisian brand Lyoum explores repurposed denim collections, Beirut’s Second Base encourages conscious consumption by curating second-hand apparel. Through seminars on garment mending and clothes swaps, Morocco’s Artcoustic hosts help to raise awareness of community involvement.
Key to this change are economic ones. MENA’s circular fashion sector is predicted to expand greatly. A 2024 Arab Youth Centre and PwC Middle East study indicates that almost 70% of young Arabians think they are more likely to support environmentally conscious companies. Moreover, the area boasts a high young unemployment rate, especially for women. Often dependent on local labour and artistic expertise, circular fashion projects provide a means of inclusive economic development.
Globally, the resale sector for fashion is expanding 11 times faster than conventional retail, according to a 2022 McKinsey study. By 2026, the second-hand clothes sector is expected to be worth USD 1 billion alone in the GCC. Growing this is young customers, especially Gen Z.
Thrifting culture, fashion advice, and environmental campaigning now find centre stage on social networking sites like Instagram and TikHub. Large-following influencers like UAE’s GreenwithNour and Egypt’s RewearIt highlight sustainable fashion tips and thrift stores, therefore helping to normalise previously owned clothes.
Still, problems exist. One of the main obstacles is cultural view. Wearing second-hand clothing is still connected in some societies with poverty or disaster. Shifting these attitudes depends mostly on public awareness campaigns and educational projects.
Infrastructure comes second as well. In MENA’s few cities with strong textile recycling systems, most clothing finds its way into unofficial dumps, which aggravates environmental damage and public health hazards.
One more problem is the availability of sustainable materials. Often, imported organic cotton and recovered polyester increase expenses and limit scalability. Closing this disparity requires regional investments in environmentally friendly textile manufacturing.
Furthermore, important are the roles governments and legislators play. Public procurement rules favouring environmentally friendly design, incentives for sustainable innovation, and tax benefits for green firms can help to build a more supporting ecosystem.
Some governments are stepping in, meanwhile. Introduced by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, the “Circular Economy Policy 2021–2031” aims to promote sustainability in all spheres, including fashion.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry of Egypt is looking into working with environmentally friendly textiles. Traditionally strong in textile exports, Tunisia and Morocco are investing in green production techniques to fit EU import rules stressing carbon footprint and sustainability.
Another very local fashion is also circular. Refugee women in Palestine engage in sewing and upcycling projects that generate revenue by recycling trash. The FabricAID social business in Jordan gathers, arranges, and markets old clothes, therefore lowering waste and making fashion reasonably priced.
The movement in a circular fashion in MENA is ultimately about more than just clothing. It is about identity, fortitude, and reinterpretation of consumption in a territory straddling modernism and tradition. With appropriate help, this initiative might make MENA a worldwide leader in sustainable fashion.
This is a transformation, not only a trend, as is apparent. MENA’s young visionaries are threading together a future where fashion is a force for good: cleaner, kinder, and proudly circular, one garment at a time.