A new nationwide campaign to reduce the amount of clothing going to waste in the UAE has received enthusiastic public support.Naseej, the National Initiative for Textile Circularity, was launched this week with the aim of reducing the 220,000 tonnes of textile waste produced across the country each year.A three-day community event called Fabric of Possibility opened at Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi on Friday to help raise awareness of the important environmental campaign.Mother of two Rocio Ruiz, from Paraguay, was among the visitors finding out more about the scheme.Keeping clothing out of landfill“It gives garments a second life instead of ending up in landfills,” she said. “It also encourages people to be more conscious about their consumption and the environmental impact of fast fashion. The Naseej installation at Yas Mall aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce textile waste. Victor Besa / The NationalInfo“Even small actions such as donating, reusing or recycling clothing can make a positive difference for both the community and the planet.”Every year, 92 million tonnes of textile waste is produced globally, according to figures shared by the UN last year. Textile and fashion waste typically ends up in landfill, where it takes decades to decompose and releases harmful greenhouse gases.Organisers said Naseej is intended to move people beyond awareness and towards action by making it easier for residents to donate, reuse and recycle textiles that might otherwise end up in landfill.Protecting the planetEmirati Aisha Al Nuaimi said she hoped to encourage her employer to partner with the initiative.“We waste so many clothes. Everything from service staff uniforms to managers' uniforms often ends up in landfills, which has a negative impact on the environment,” she said.Roula Skaff learns more about the Naseej initiative. Victor Besa / The NationalInfo“This is a wonderful initiative. Not only is it good for the environment, but it is also completely free. You're not paying anything and you're still doing something positive for the planet.”Roula Skaff, from Lebanon, said Naseej had given her a practical solution for clothes she no longer needed. “It is a great initiative and it is good for the environment,” she added.“Now I know where to donate my old clothes and I know they will be turned into something beneficial for others and for the environment.”Getting creative to highlight causeAn installation in Yas Mall demonstrates the scale of annual textile waste in the UAE. Victor Besa / The NationalInfoNaseej aims to bring together government bodies, private-sector partners, charities, communities and residents to create a nationwide textile circularity ecosystem.At the centre of the community event is a large installation built around the theme One World. Your Choice. It explores two contrasting futures. One focuses on the consequences of textile waste, while the other highlights the possibilities created when clothes and fabrics are reused, donated or recycled.The display introduces visitors to what organisers call the Possibility Generator, which illustrates the different stages of textile recycling, from collecting and sorting worn garments to breaking them down into fibres, turning them into new thread and weaving them into new fabric.A live digital counter tracks participation, highlighting the collective impact of individual actions.Visitors are encouraged to consider four ways they can contribute to reducing textile waste: buying fewer and higher-quality garments; repairing and reimagining clothing they already own; donating unwanted items with purpose; and recycling textiles to keep them in circulation.Each visitor receives a reusable Bag of Possibility made from jute canvas and upcycled white kandura fabric. The bag is intended to help residents collect unwanted clothes, towels, linens and other fabrics at home before dropping them off at collection points. Information cards inside the bags explain how donated textiles can be recycled.Current options include home collection through Kiswa and Malabes, charity collection boxes in community locations, Centrepoint and Max stores, as well as Tadweer recycling points across Abu Dhabi.