On June 1, Dubai took the historic step of banning the sale of plastic shopping bags. As consumers, it is time to make changes to our own behaviour and contribute towards better sustainability across the emirate
Thankfully, many switches such as swapping a plastic bag for a reusable tote are simple, especially given the wealth of regional companies that bring eco-friendly options to our doorstep. From skincare products minus nasty chemicals and vegan trainers, to notebooks embedded with plant seeds, there are plenty of clever ideas around, well deserving of our support.
Small changes multiplied across many categories can make a huge impact, so why not think about spending your hard-earned cash with companies that are working towards a brighter future. On World Environment Day, here are some options.
Styched Collective
Founded in India in 2019 as a direct-to-consumer fashion label, Styched Collective brings together several brands. What makes it different to other platforms is that, unlike traditional online or physical stores, it holds no inventory, has no warehouses and has zero wastage thanks to its on-demand business model. Rather than relying on the present system of making clothes in advance in the hope that everything will all be sold (with whatever that does not destined for landfill), at Styched, clothes are not manufactured until ordered and paid for.
With this clever, responsive production-on-demand system, it has been able to move away from factories – with their minimum orders and rigid timetables – to instead use freelance tailors, who can work from the comfort of their home. Not only does this mean clothes can be made whenever needed, but it also allows more women to join the online workforce.
It even has a bespoke service, where elements such as sleeve type, skirt length, neckline and pockets can be determined by the customer.
The Green Ecostore
With plastic bags now off the agenda, The Green Ecostore is a great place to stock up on reusable shopping bags. Founded in 2009 to bring environmentally conscious products to the UAE, it offers all manner of useful items for everyday and around the home use, including reusable water bottles, mesh produce bags to carry to the supermarket and beeswax wraps to replace plastic cling film.
It also stocks Swedish sponge clothes made of plant cellulose, and recycled paper notebooks, some of which are embedded with the aforementioned plants seeds, meaning that once its useful life is over, is can be planted and flowers will burst forth.
Up-Fuse
Launched in 2013 in Cairo, Up-Fuse is based on the motto “nothing is ever wasted”.
From hand-stitched espadrilles with a sole made from old car tyres, to laptop bags made from compressed plastic bags, this is an inventive company that gives new life to discarded waste. Not only does this help reduce pollution and the eyesore of waste, but it also helps preserve natural resources.
Since starting, the company has repurposed more than 1.3 million plastic bags, 800,000 plastic bottles and 800 car tyres, turning them into bags, wallets, backpacks and more. With a repair service also part of its methodology, Up-Fuse also runs workshops to help others on their journey to better sustainability.
La Brocante
Situated in a warehouse in Al Quoz Dubai, La Brocante looks uninspiring from the outside, but step through the doors and you'll find a treasure trove of second-hand furniture, posters, lighting and artwork. All pre-loved, the designs on sale not only guarantee to bring a touch of personality to your home, but also give a second life to the pieces.
To help prolong the lifespan of goods further, it also has a repair service, as well as offering pieces for short-term rent. With ever-changing stock, the home-grown store stays committed to its mantra of “dedicated to sustainability one piece at a time”.
The Giving Movement
One of the UAE's most successful start-up stories, The Giving Movement launched during the pandemic to bring activewear made from upcycled plastic waste (plus 100 per cent organic cotton) to the Middle East. Each garment is made in the UAE to ensure workers have good working conditions and proper pay, while a flat Dh15 ($4) charity donation is built into the price of every item.
Initially the money benefitted Harmony House and Dubai Cares, but since October last year, all donations have been diverted to help with the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza, through Dubai Cares and its partners on the ground. About $1 million has been donated in eight months, and the brand has raised more than Dh26 million for charity since launching.
Nature Hedonist
With its line of 100 per cent linen, Nature Hedonist and its stylish clothing boast of being “proudly designed in the UAE, crafted in Kazakhstan”.
An ideal material for hot climes, linen not only dries much faster than cotton, but is also much more hard-wearing and requires a fraction of the water to grow. Made into clothes that are loose-fit and lean towards modestwear, Nature Hedonist pieces are made to be layered.
On offer are box-cut jackets, long kimono-style coats and tapered cut trousers. In tones including terracotta, oatmeal, white and navy blue, this brand is about fluid, breezy style.
Thaely
Founded by Ashay Bhave while still at collage, Thaely is a vegan trainer and footwear company. Handmade in small batches of 1,000 to 2,000 per style, each shoe is made from a leather alternative that uses 10 recycled plastic bags and 12 recycled plastic bottles per shoe.
The upper part of each shoe uses ThaelyTex, a leather-type material invented by founder Bhave, and the sole is made from recycled rubber. Shoelaces are made from recycled plastic bottles, and even the glue used to bind the shoe and the detergents used to clean the reclaimed plastic before processing are 100 per cent vegan, earning the company a Peta vegan certification and its Best Sneaker award in 2021.
New styles include the Reflex Slide, with an upper made from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles and insoles made from recycled castor bean oil waste. Recycled helmet straps act as the fasteners, while the Bloom EVA sole incorporates Rise by Bloom, an algae-blended resin, for extra comfort.
Thrift For Good
Founded in February 2020, Thrift for Good is a second-hand store that channels all of its profit to Gulf for Good – the organisation that supports vulnerable children in Palestine, Lebanon, Nepal, the Philippines and Malawi.
Aware that clothes donated to charities in good faith too often end up in vast mountains of waste around the world, Thrift for Good works to ensure nothing is wasted.
It processes all donations, diverting the best examples to its two stores in Dubai, on Palm Jumeirah and in Times Square, to offer high-quality shoes, bags, accessories and clothes at reasonable prices. Those pieces not deemed suitable for stores are sold off for lower prices at the Dubai Flea Market. Anything that fails to make that grade is not thrown away, but rather given to up-cyclers, or carpet and furniture makers in India.
This strict system ensures there is no waste created and that all pieces get a second life. Thrift for Good raises about Dh150,000 per month, and to date it has rehomed 250,000 items, while raising close to Dh3 million for children's charities. It also runs classes and workshops on how to repair your own clothes.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Biography
Favourite book: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Holiday choice: Anything Disney-related
Proudest achievement: Receiving a presidential award for foreign services.
Family: Wife and three children.
Like motto: You always get what you ask for, the universe listens.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Company profile
Name: GiftBag.ae
Based: Dubai
Founded: 2011
Number of employees: 4
Sector: E-commerce
Funding: Self-funded to date
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
