Latest news with #Cakmak
Express Tribune
16-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Saudi Arabia introduces recycled Ihrams to reduce environmental impact
Listen to article As Ramadan arrives and millions of Muslims around the world embark on their Umrah pilgrimage, a central garment for male worshippers, the ihram, continues to symbolize purity, unity, and devotion. The simple white garment, composed of two pieces of unstitched cloth, is a vital part of the Umrah and Hajj experience. In a move to promote sustainability, the Ministry of Culture's Fashion Commission has introduced its Sustainable Ihram initiative. This project focuses on recycling and repurposing used ihrams, combining sacred Islamic traditions with eco-friendly solutions aimed at protecting the planet. Under the initiative, used ihrams are collected and transformed into new, sustainable garments through a circular textile recycling process. This innovative effort is a collaboration between the Saudi Investment Recycling Co. and eco-fashion company Tadweem. The program aims to raise consumer awareness of fashion recycling while supporting the development of a circular textile economy within Saudi Arabia. Recognizing the environmental impact of discarded ihrams, which are produced in large volumes for the annual pilgrimage, the Fashion Commission has identified an opportunity to reduce textile waste. Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, told 'Ihram is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fashion, but at the same time, it's a product that is sold and used in volumes, repeated every year, especially during Hajj.' To make this initiative possible, 336 collection bins were installed in Mina, where several tonnes of used ihrams were collected. These garments underwent a meticulous recycling process, which included sorting, cleaning, shredding, and reweaving, ultimately creating new ihrams for pilgrims to wear with a deeper sense of purpose. 'There is no better way to do this than for your religious pilgrimage, where you want to focus on spirituality and ensure that the product you wear represents purity in both body and mind,' Cakmak added. Mustafa Bukhari, CEO of Tadweem, explained that while manufacturing currently occurs outside Saudi Arabia, the long-term goal is to bring production into the Kingdom. Tadweem, a Saudi eco-friendly company, focuses on sustainability in fashion through initiatives such as textile recycling. For this project, the collected ihrams were converted into raw materials in Dubai, sent to Turkey for manufacturing, and then returned to Saudi Arabia. 'The entire product is made from recycled materials, including the packaging and bags used, with no environmentally harmful substances,' said Bukhari. 'We used recycled cotton for both the ihrams and the packaging bags, ensuring the environmental sustainability of the entire product.' At the Jeddah Hajj and Umrah conference in January, Tadweem demonstrated how the fabric from recycled ihrams was incorporated into high-quality leather bags. Priced at SR98 ($25.98), the sustainable ihrams are now available in Madinah, with plans to expand distribution to Makkah, major airports, and other regions in the future. They will also be sold in a dedicated store for sustainable ihrams and at the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, running until May 25. Cakmak emphasized: 'The hope is that we are highlighting the importance of sustainability not just through art and creativity, but through everyday products that people can adopt. This is about offering a conscious choice, aligning the spiritual journey with sustainability.'
Arab News
15-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Recycled ihrams promoting eco-friendly pilgrimage
JEDDAH: With the arrival of Ramadan and many Muslims from around the world performing Umrah, a compulsory garment for male worshippers is the ihram, a simple, white garment symbolizing purity, unity and devotion. The ihram is a critical part of the Umrah and Hajj experience, consisting of two pieces of unstitched cloth. The Ministry of Culture's Fashion Commission recently introduced its Sustainable Ihram initiative, which focuses on recycling and repurposing used ihrams. The project aims to not only honor sacred Islamic traditions but also contribute to the protection of the planet by embracing eco-friendly solutions. Previously used garments are transformed into new, sustainable ihrams through a circular, textile recycling system. The initiative is a collaboration with the Saudi Investment Recycling Co. and the eco-fashion firm Tadweem. • Tadweem is a Saudi eco-friendly company focused on improving sustainability in the fashion industry through initiatives such as textile recycling. • Saudi Arabia's Fashion Commission and Tadweem installed 336 collection bins in Mina to gather several tonnes of ihrams, and worked with partners to transform them into new fabric. It aims to promote sustainable practices, raise consumer awareness about fashion recycling, and support the development of a circular textile economy in Saudi Arabia. Recognizing that millions of ihrams are manufactured and discarded annually, the commission identified an opportunity to reduce the large volume of textile waste. Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, told Arab News: 'Ihram is not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fashion, but at the same time, it's a product that is sold and used in volumes, repeated every year, especially during Hajj.' He continued: 'We wanted to create the first circular product in the country, and what better way to start than with ihram, a textile deeply linked to Saudi Arabia's religious and cultural heritage.' 'To make this possible, we installed 336 collection bins in Mina, gathered several tonnes of ihrams, and worked with partners to transform them into new fabric, creating a fully circular process,' Cakmak explained. The collected garments underwent a meticulous recycling process: sorting, cleaning, shredding, and reweaving into fresh ihrams, which 'pilgrims can use with a deeper sense of purpose.' 'There is no better way to do this than for your religious pilgrimage, where you want to focus on spirituality, the core values of purity, and ensure that the product you wear represents how pure your thoughts are as you go through that journey,' Cakmak said. We wanted to create the first circular product in the country, and what better way to start than with ihram, a textile deeply linked to Saudi Arabia's religious and cultural heritage. Burak Cakmak, Fashion Commission CEO Mustafa Bukhari, the CEO of Tadweem, told Arab News about their production process. 'Currently, manufacturing is done outside Saudi Arabia, but our plans include moving the manufacturing operations inside the Kingdom.' Tadweem is a Saudi Arabia eco-friendly company focused on improving sustainability in the fashion industry through initiatives such as textile recycling. For this project, the ihrams were converted into raw materials in Dubai, sent to Turkiye for manufacturing, and then returned to the Kingdom. 'We have ensured that the entire product is made from recycled materials, including the packaging and bags used, with no environmentally harmful materials,' Bukhari said. He added: 'The main material is recycled cotton, which we used in the ihrams and even in the packaging, where we also made the packaging bags from recycled cotton, ensuring the environmental sustainability of the entire product.' At the Jeddah Hajj and Umrah conference held in January this year, Tadweem showcased how the fabric from recycled ihrams was incorporated into high-quality leather bags. Priced at SR98 ($25.98), the ihrams are currently available in Madinah, with the distribution to be expanded to Makkah, major airports, and other regions in the future. They will also be available via a dedicated store for sustainable ihrams in the Kingdom, and at the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, which runs until May 25. Cakmak said: 'The hope is that we are highlighting the importance of sustainability not just through art and creativity, but through everyday products that people can adopt. 'This is about offering a conscious choice, aligning the spiritual journey with sustainability.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Fashion Commission Showcases Saudi 100 Brands Exhibition at the Saudi Cup
The Saudi Fashion Commission showcased the work of some of Saudi Arabia's most creative fashion designers at the prestigious Saudi Cup 2025, hosted at King Abdulaziz Equestrian Club in Riyadh. A dedicated exhibition featured fashion and jewelry brands from the commission's flagship incubator program, Saudi 100 Brands. Building on past successes at the Saudi Cup—the world's richest horse race and a prominent social occasion—the Commission highlighted the event's historical connection to fashion. The Saudi Cup's elegant and elaborate dress code provided a prime opportunity to showcase the creativity and craftsmanship of Saudi designers. The exhibition featured exclusive pieces designed specifically for the event, reflecting the unique styles and perspectives of the participating Saudi 100 Brands designers. These collections captured the elegance and excitement of the Saudi Cup. CEO Burak Cakmak stated that the exhibition brought the vibrant energy and exceptional creativity of Saudi design to the forefront, demonstrating the Kingdom's impressive design talent. 'It underscores our commitment to promoting local talent on the biggest stages, both regionally and globally. We believe in the power of Saudi creativity, and we are dedicated to fostering the continued growth and success of the Kingdom's fashion industry,' Cakmak said.
Arab News
22-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Saudi designers push new boundaries at Saudi Cup
RIYADH: Designers and models from across the Kingdom gathered at the Saudi Cup this weekend to showcase their designs, pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation and paying tribute to the Kingdom's heritage, landscapes and tradition. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ 'We love to see brands pushing those boundaries and giving us a surprise every year,' Fashion Commission CEO Burak Cakmak told Arab News. Pushing boundaries in fashion is exactly what happened at the 2025 Saudi Cup, with designers and models celebrating the Kingdom's architecture and landmarks, such as a thobe-inspired suit decked in mirrors and a silk wrap-around to replicate AlUla's Maraya or a 3D headband that replicated the Kingdom's first UNESCO World Heritage of Hegra. When asked what themes or tributes the CEO had seen most often at this year's event, Cakmak said that there was a focus on regional references. 'I think there's always a regional reference, clearly the Saudi Cup is very much about Saudi culture and the country represents itself, especially designers based on where their origins are from, and heritage is from,' Cakmak said. 'So you will always see things that are very, very Najdi, very Hijazi, very Asisir, but at the same time are also thinking about, for example, sustainability using natural elements. 'And we've seen brands that are using dates, palm leaves, organic materials, to create looks for an exhibition.' The CEO underlined that sustainability and creativity remain common and consistent themes at this year's Saudi Cup. 'There are a lot of inspirations that are coming from elements of craft and architecture and also the regional references, but at the same time all the way to things that are very much inspired by nature and then the sky and then the positioning of the country, that's basically giving new ideas around what design can look like,' he said. For the fourth year, the Saudi 100 Brands has continued its partnership with the Saudi Cup, featuring a gallery of some of the top 100 Brands designers from bridal, couture, ready-to-wear, jewelry and bags.
