One positive thing to have come out of last year was that, deprived of the glitz and glamour of the fashion industry, some of us learnt just how problematic it really is. While the statistics about pollution levels, wastage and water use can make for gloomy reading, the good news is that increasing numbers of fashion brands are facing up to their responsibilities and taking steps (albeit of different sizes) towards helping solve some of the issues at hand, steps that you as a buyer can also support.
Recycling cotton with Lacoste
Take the French company Lacoste, for example. A maker of high-end sportswear since 1933, it launched the “Loop” polo shirt in February, made using recycled shirts from its factories. It used its own polo shirt stock that had been rejected for tiny imperfections, and the tops that would have once been destroyed were instead unravelled to reclaim the cotton. That reused yarn was then mixed with virgin cotton and rewoven to create the new line. The name refers to the idea that every new top helps close the loop of production.
It may be just one product, but Loop demonstrates a deeper commitment to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Make Fashion Circular programme, which Lacoste signed up to last December. Founded in 2009 by the record-breaking solo sailor, Dame Ellen MacArthur, the foundation aims to help companies adopt more sustainable practices, and promotes a circular economy model, in which resources such as cotton yarn are constantly recycled and reused, rather than used once and discarded.
As well as being partly recycled, another important element is that the tops are offered in just two colours, grey and blue. Because it contains thread of differing origins, each top is actually made of innumerable shifts in tone. While Lacoste could have bleached and re-dyed the finished tops, it chose not to, instead opting to normalise the look of recycled material, while reducing the use of polluting chemicals and saving tens of thousands of litres of water in the process.
At present, while the reclaimed threads make up just 30 per cent of the Loop tops (the other 70 per cent is still virgin cotton), it is still significant. The endeavour will certainly not fix fashion's ills but is a step towards a more efficient work practice that keeps countless imperfect tops out of landfill.
Saving water with Mango
With fast-fashion companies blamed for fuelling the rise of a throwaway attitude towards clothes, many brands that made their fortunes selling cheap, disposable clothes are now beginning to use their weight to support better practices.
Spanish high-street giant Mango announced a line of accessories made using entirely recycled cotton. Aptly called Upcycled Accessories, this tidy range of hats, oversize shoppers and sandals has been created from reclaimed cotton, and either left white (bleached), tie-dyed or as denim blue. This step marks the latest in a recent rash of initiatives by Mango, cementing its commitment to the United Nations Fashion Industry Charter it signed up to last year.
Last October, Mango also pledged to remove plastic bags from its supply chain, saving 160 million bags a year, making it the first Spanish fast-fashion empire to do so. It also recently unveiled a new unisex denim collection that, thanks to new technology for finishing and washing using ozone and lasers, will save 30 million litres of water compared to conventional methods. The company has also set ambitious targets for 2025, vowing that 100 per cent of the cotton it uses will come from sustainable sources, while 50 per cent of its polyester will have been reclaimed through recycling.
Collecting plastic waste with H&M
In a similar move, in January, Swedish high-street giant H&M launched a range of children's clothes called Bottle2Fashion, made in conjunction with water company Danone Aqua. Plastic debris collected from Indonesian beaches is transformed into recycled polyester, which in turn is made into children's staples such as hoodies, leggings and long-sleeved tees. In addition to helping create local jobs to collect, sort, clean and shred the bottles in Indonesia, H&M is encouraging a circular approach elsewhere by asking parents to return the clothes once they have been outgrown, so the garments can be recycled yet again.
Planting trees with Nafsi
Closer to home, Dubai fashion brand Nafsi is using upcycled or sustainably produced fabrics, and has raised its own standards by pledging to plant one tree for every item sold.
Partnering with One Tree Planted, a non-profit environmental tree-planting charity that helps reforest areas around the world, Nafsi has vowed to plant trees in vulnerable communities. Since it was founded in January 2020, the company has vowed to ulitilise mainly upcycled deadstock, working with organisations such as EcoEquitable in Canada that helps provide vulnerable women with work, transforming unwanted stock into new, recycled goods. Nafsi also works with Thrift For Good, the second-hand social enterprise that donates 100 per cent of its proceeds to Gulf For Good, an organisation that helps underprivileged children around the world.
More on Quran memorisation:
More on Quran memorisation:
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):
British group
Coldplay
Foals
Bring me the Horizon
D-Block Europe
Bastille
British Female
Mabel
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
Stormzy
Best new artist
Aitch
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
Best album
Stormzy - Heavy is the Head
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Rising star
Celeste
Joy Crookes
beabadoobee
Avatar%20(2009)
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 2 (Mahrez 04', Ake 84')
Leicester City 5 (Vardy 37' pen, 54', 58' pen, Maddison 77', Tielemans 88' pen)
Man of the match: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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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
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
pakistan Test squad
Azhar Ali (capt), Shan Masood, Abid Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Babar Azam, Fawad Alam, Haris Sohail, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Abbas, Yasir Shah, Usman Shinwari
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
