SAUDI ARABIA UNVEILS ECO-FRIENDLY IHRAM PLAN FOR RAMADAN AND HAJJ

Tue 18 March 2025:

With Ramadan midway and millions of Muslims performing Umrah, the Saudi Ministry of Culture’s Fashion Commission has introduced a Sustainable Ihram initiative to recycle and repurpose the sacred garment.

The ihram, a simple white garment symbolising purity and devotion, is a key part of the Umrah and Hajj experience. Given the vast number of ihrams discarded annually, the initiative seeks to reduce textile waste while preserving religious traditions.

In collaboration with the Saudi Investment Recycling Co. and eco-fashion firm Tadweem, the project announced last month, transforms used ihrams into new garments through a circular textile system. 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 it’s a product used in volumes, repeated every year.”

Proudly introducing the Sustainable Ihram Initiative, redefining textile production with eco-friendly materials for a better tomorrow. Be part of the change. pic.twitter.com/fh5fB8ZwpH

— بوراك شاكماك | Burak Cakmak (@CEOFashion_KSA) February 14, 2025

To facilitate the initiative, 336 collection bins were installed in Mina, gathering tonnes of ihrams. These garments were then sorted, cleaned, shredded, and rewoven into new fabric. The process currently involves Dubai for raw material conversion and Turkiye for manufacturing, but Tadweem CEO Mustafa Bukhari revealed plans to shift production to Saudi Arabia.

Priced at $25.98 (SR98), the sustainable ihrams are available in Madinah, with plans for expansion to Makkah, airports and a dedicated store. Tadweem also showcased recycled ihram fabric in high-quality leather bags at the Jeddah Hajj and Umrah Conference.

Cakmak added: “This is about offering a conscious choice, aligning the spiritual journey with sustainability.”

-MEMO

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