Mideast’s Saudi Arabia and its holiest city of Islam, Makkah, has embarked on a mission to recycle the male pilgrim’s ihram or the 2 white drapes, in a bid to divert fabric away from landfills.
- A white paper—Ihram Circularity: Weaving a Greener Hajj and Umrah Experience—to evaluate the feasibility of establishing textile recycling facilities in Saudi Arabia and brought out by the Fashion Commission says that the ihram opportunity to recycle 100,000 tonnes by 2030 would equal a reduction of 615 million kg CO2 eq.
- Through the Saudi Green initiative, the country is targeting a carbon emission reduction of more than 278 million tonnes per annum by 2030. If the carbon emissions saved from this single ihram recycling initiative were accumulated over a single year, this would contribute 0.2% toward the Vision 2030 objective.
- This initiative, a part of making Vision 2030 a reality, the Fashion Commission, which falls under the Ministry of Culture, has developed seven strategic pillars to align their efforts with the country’s vision of a vibrant and sustainable future.
THE STUDY: The Ihram Recycling study, led by the Saudi Fashion Commission alongside sustainability partners to study the potential use of Ihram, is another opportunity to circularise the textiles value chain while also raising awareness.
- The Fashion Commission has partnered with the Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), the Royal Commission of Makkah City and holy sites (RCMC), ISKO, and Tadweem to undertake the study, that began in June 2023, aimed at recycling ihrams collected during the Hajj and Umrah.
- The Fashion Commission and the other stakeholders involved in the Ihram Recycling Project see the present exporting of recyclable materials as a localisation opportunity within Saudi Arabia and want to be a part of the positive change process.
- The ihram recycling study makes sense as a process to test the feasibility of such an undertaking. Ihram material can be collected at scale from a relatively small area (Makkah), and the recycling process itself is relatively simple due to the nature of the fabric being collected: white in colour and mostly cotton. This means that recycling ihrams into other products, whether into new ihrams, or high-quality towels, carpets, or blankets, is relatively simple. The simplicity and consistency of the mainly cotton fabrics is ideal for recycling.
- In 2023, 34 tonnes of ihrams were collected. These ihrams will be recycled into new ihrams and distributed for re-sale or gifted to help raise awareness about the environmental and social benefits of purchasing products made from recycled materials.
- A study by RCMC has indicated that currently the willingness by pilgrims to purchase recycled ihrams is low. This challenge presents as an excellent opportunity for the Fashion Commission and the other stakeholders involved to create positive change while contributing to the country’s ambitious target to reduce carbon emissions by 278 million tonnes per annum by 2030.
- Based on the growth of pilgrims, the quantity of Ihrams would reach close to 65 million metres and weigh more than 18,000 tonnes by 2030. Should the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah increase capacity to 30 million Hajj and Umrah pilgrims by 2030, the total cumulative ihram fabric use would equate to a staggering 379 million meters and 100 000 tonnes of ihram fabric. This is enough fabric to encircle the globe 9.5 times and would weigh more than six times that of the Statue of Liberty.
- The Fashion Commission currently has several initiatives under way to create a more sustainable textiles value chain and to raise awareness among consumers about how to incorporate sustainability into their everyday lives, such as the Swap Shop initiative.
- According to a study assessing the carbon footprint of textile waste, diverting the discarded textiles from landfills and recycling would save close to 5,800 kg of CO2 eq per tonne (textile landfills emit 430 kg CO2 equivalent per tonne, products made from primary sources emit an average of 6,500 CO2 eq per tonne, while the textile recycling process emits only 1,142 kg CO2 eq per tonne).
THE IHRAM: During their Hajj and Umrah journey, male pilgrims wear two pieces of white, unstitched cloth: one worn around the waist and the other around the chest. These pieces of cloth serve an important purpose: to have all who undertake the Hajj and Umrah appear equal. In addition to equality, by being plain in appearance and white in colour, ihrams symbolise humility and peace.
- Most ihrams are made from cotton, but some can be made from other materials such as lyocell or bamboo. Synthetic fibres such as polyester are also widely used.
ABOUT: SIRC is the largest industrial waste management company in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and is aiming to recycle 81% of the 3.4 million tonnes of Riyadh’s yearly municipal waste by 2035.
- Jeddah-based Tadweem collects and sorts discarded clothes and textiles, preparing them for recycling or repurposing. The firm is closely connected to the circular textile ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and has collected ihrams before.
- ISKO, another stakeholder in the Ihram Recycling study, a subsidiary of Turkey-headquartered SANKO Holding, is a denim and fabric manufacturer that has 300 million meters of annual production capacity.
WHAT THEY SAID
We recognise the work it will take to influence consumer behaviour here in the Kingdom. What we want to see are well-informed consumers making smart choices about purchasing and recycling unwanted clothes. If you look at the demographics of Saudi Arabia, most are under 30 years of age. If you can influence this generation, they can have a massive impact on the future of fashion sustainability. We need to help the world understand how important it is to not buy more than you need. We also recognise that our actions affect others. In Saudi, we’re connected to the world. Our purchases connect to the global textile value chain. So, it’s important to do our part in making this more sustainable for the environment and for all the people involved. We want to be a part of the positive change. It’s a global mission—not just a Kingdom mission.
— Burak Cakmak
Chief Executive Officer
Fashion Commission
