Fashion has always been a mirror of society, and increasingly more designers are growing conscious of the impact fashion has on the environment and human rights.
A new generation of creatives are now proving that fashion can simply do more. Labels are donating percentages of their proceeds to charities and some others are providing underprivileged individuals with a decent working environment and a suitable living wage.
Because we believe that change can only happen collectively, we’ve rounded up five ethical Arab brands designing for a good cause that you can support.
One and Four Studio
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Une publication partagée par ONE AND FOUR STUDIO (@oneandfourstudio)
Craftsmanship, sustainability and gender-fluidity, these are the three pillars for the Dubai-based brand. Merging urban style with high-end tailoring, One and Four Studio plants one tree and donates 4 dirhams to the Red Crescent in the UAE for every item you purchase.
uSfuur
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The Emirati brand, founded by Syrian-born Yara Tlass, is dedicated to giving back to Syrian refugees. How do they do it? 10 percent of their proceeds are donated to Watanili, a grassroots organization behind a learning centre in Turkey for Syrian refugee children.
BLSSD
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Based between Dubai and Beirut, the luxury streetwear label’s goal is to support individuals in need whose lives have been touched by cancer. Proceeds from BLSSD benefit the support group Blessed (together) led by the brand’s founder Lama Riachi (a cancer survivor herself). The group not only helps cancer-affected individuals but also the underprivileged migrant workers in the region.
The Giving Movement
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“Small acts multiplied by many people can transform the world” that’s the Emirati label’s mantra. For every item you buy, The Giving Movement will donate $4 (enough to provide food and shelter for one week for a child in need) to their partner charities such as Dubai Cares, which aims to offer quality education for children in developing countries, and Harmony House, supporting underprivileged children in India. Their hyper-comfortable active wear is ethically made in the UAE from recycled nylon originating from plastic water bottles waste and organic bamboo.
Sarah’s Bag
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Based in Beirut, Sarah’s Bag is dedicated to helping female prisoners, ex-prisoners and underprivileged women in Lebanon by training them to become skilled artisans. These women are the workforce behind the brand’s signature handcrafted luxury bags.
Nöl collective
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The Ramallah-based label was started by art history major Yasmeen Mjalli in the aim to fight socio-cultural and political injustices in her home country Palestine. Nöl collective creates pieces adorned with empowering slogans such as their signature ‘Not Your Habibti’ tee, a nod to women empowerment and gender-equality. Locally manufactured in the West Bank and Gaza, a portion of proceeds benefit the Palestinian Working Women Society for Development and the collective’s ‘Menstrual Education Campaign’ for young Palestinian girls.
