The UAE has launched Naseej, a national initiative aimed at accelerating the transition of the country’s textile sector towards a circular economy model. Introduced under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the programme seeks to shift the industry away from the traditional take-make-dispose approach and towards a system focused on resource efficiency, value retention, and long-term sustainability.

Naseej has been established through a partnership involving the National Projects Office, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, Emirates Foundation, and Tadweer Group. The initiative is designed to serve as a national platform that aligns policy development, industry participation, research efforts, and public engagement across the textile value chain.

Drawing on the UAE’s longstanding traditions of craftsmanship, conservation, and responsible resource use, the initiative aims to integrate circular economy principles into both industry practices and everyday consumer behaviour.

Commenting on the launch, H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects, said the initiative reinforces the UAE’s commitment to sustainability as a collective national responsibility.

“Naseej reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to sustainability as a shared national responsibility. It reflects a forward-looking vision that transforms challenges into lasting opportunities by driving positive behavioural change, encouraging responsible resource use, and empowering community participation and volunteering. The initiative lays the foundation for resilient, future-ready development that benefits generations to come,” she said.

H.H. 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, described the programme as an important milestone in embedding circular economy principles within the country’s broader development agenda.

“The Naseej initiative represents an important step toward embedding the concept of the circular economy within the UAE’s sustainable development model. It reflects our wise leadership’s vision for long-term, innovation-led growth, bringing together institutions, industry, youth, and the wider community to collectively rethink how we value, preserve, and sustain our resources,” he said.

The initiative comes at a time when textile waste is emerging as a significant environmental challenge. Annual textile waste generation in the UAE is estimated at around 220,000 tonnes, highlighting the need for more structured collection, recovery, and recycling systems.

Naseej seeks to address this challenge through a coordinated national framework that promotes improved collection and recycling infrastructure, supports research and innovation, and encourages more responsible consumption patterns consistent with circular economy objectives.

According to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, the initiative supports the UAE’s broader ambition of building an advanced circular economy ecosystem aligned with international best practices.

“The UAE has prioritized the development of a comprehensive and advanced circular economy system in accordance with global best practices. Through Naseej, we are establishing a national framework that aligns policy, industry action, and public participation under this shared vision for a circular economy. By moving from fragmented voluntary efforts to an organized national system underpinned by partnerships and continued cooperation, we look forward to enabling the wide-scale implementation of circular textile solutions in the country, contributing to achieving the goals of the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2031,” he said.

The initiative is structured around five key pillars: collection and recycling, awareness and outreach, behavioural research, policies and regulations, and circular business and innovation. Together, these focus areas are intended to support long-term transformation of the textile sector while delivering measurable environmental and economic benefits.

Preparatory work for Naseej began during COP28 and was supported by the National Projects Office within the Presidential Court. Since then, a series of memorandums of understanding have been signed with stakeholders across the textile ecosystem, including fashion brands, manufacturers, recyclers, collection operators, research institutions, and community organisations. These partnerships are expected to create a collaborative framework capable of supportinglarge-scale implementation of circular textile solutions across the country.

As part of its public launch, Naseej will host its first community activation, “The Fabric of Possibility,” at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi from 5–7 June 2026. The immersive experience will help visitors understand the impact of textile waste better, explore practical sustainability solutions, and engage with circular economy concepts.

Following the launch, Naseej will introduce a series of national programmes to strengthen textile collection and recycling systems, supporting innovation and pilot projects, and advancing market development for circular textile solutions. By aligning policy, industry action, and community participation, the initiative seeks to reinforce the UAE’s position as a leader in circular economy implementation and sustainable resource management.