Can the UAE Turn Fashion Waste Into Big Business?

**Tim Elliott** (0:00)
This is the Morning Drive, it's Mira Business FM. Good morning to you. The global fashion industry next. It is a, well to say it's gigantic and a powerhouse economy kind of underplays it really, but it is also an industry that leaves a massive environmental footprint, and it produces close to 92 million tons of textile waste every year. It's an issue that people are searching for solutions for. Now here in the Emirates, the focus is rapidly shifting away from the old take-make-waste model, and the UAE is launching a new initiative called Naseej, which is a way of turning the textile industry into a circular economy model. So it's a recycling plus model, I think is the best way to describe it. Kashesh Bhatia Garg is the founder, she's the creative director of Kashesh Global, and has just been bestowed with a unique honor, which is becoming the first fashion house permitted to incorporate the words of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum into garments, transforming fashion into wearable literature, inspired by His Highness' vision. Did I get that right, Kashesh? Is that basically what it is?

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (1:18)
Yes, absolutely.

**Tim Elliott** (1:21)
Welcome to the show, it's nice to see you.

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (1:23)
Thank you.

**Tim Elliott** (1:24)
It's a unique distinction, I have to say this, it really is first fashion house, you can weave words into your collections in the future, His Highness' words. It's an honor, but it's also, it's a responsibility as well, isn't it? So what does it mean to you?

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (1:41)
So honestly, receiving this permission, yes, it was an emotional and meaning, but along with that, as you said, it was about the honor and the responsibility. You're just not using words. And at the same time, I wanted to not use words just as a decoration. Words have feelings, emotion, rhythm. And when you wear it with intention, it's not only about sustainability or how you're wearing it, but it changes how you become with your identity.
So you're not just wearing something to impress, you're wearing something to express of who you are.

**Tim Elliott** (2:24)
I'm with you. I think if for anybody watching or listening to this, who doesn't realize that His Highness has written a number of poetic works, and there are a number of books, of course, as well. So that does make some sense.
But how do you conceptually translate his vision for future leadership poetry, whatever it is, into physical, sustainable garments? And how do you select the quotes as well? That's another question.

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (2:55)
So these quotes are from the book Flashes of Wisdom.

**Tim Elliott** (2:58)
Right.

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (2:59)
And it was not something that we initially started with that thought. Once when I was researching about this new collection and the evolution of Kashesh Global, I wanted to first bring the same emotion, thought, craftsmanship to what we wear on everyday basis.

**Tim Elliott** (3:21)
Okay.

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (3:22)
In my entire career, like in India, I was working for 12 to 13 years for wedding and couture outfits. And I realized we invest so much of emotional meaning when it comes to weddings and occasional wear.
But we are equally not thoughtful about what we are wearing on everyday basis.

**Tim Elliott** (3:42)
I hope that's so true.

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (3:45)
And specifically crafts. I feel that if we really would like to take crafts forward, it's not just preserving in the museum or just for specific occasion, it has to be a part of everyday. That was the bringing of how I can bring the identity and the culture and the crafts together. And then when I was reading about his biography and how Dubai has come, what we see, it was not a possibility, but it was somebody's vision. And that vision, that identity, that leadership, that wisdom, that poetry, when it comes together, I was like, this is something I would like to have. It seemed like a very far-fetched dream for me because it's required. It's just not, you can just write his words. You have to go through the process of it regarding the permission because it's somebody's words.
That's really, I think it was an emotional and meaningful moment, and at the same time, lot with the responsibility with that.

**Tim Elliott** (4:47)
Well, this is the thing, isn't it? You've got to make sure that the design language that you use respects. I suppose as well, you got to elevate the prose as well. That is pretty tough.

**Kashesh Bhatia Garg** (5:01)
It was interesting that, yes, we wanted to bring the vision of his words, but along with that, we wanted to bring something more. In our entire collection, along with his words, we have enhanced from his words itself the words like dream, world, which is impossible dream. So one of his quotes is, the race of excellence has no finish line.