As a major cotton producer and exporter for Western brands, Pakistan plays a central role in the global supply chain, driven by economic pressures to offer low production costs and lax regulations. In 2023, Pakistan produced approximately 887,000 tons of pre-consumer textile waste and imported over 800,000 tons of second-hand clothing, much of it ending up in landfills or informal recycling streams. The textile sector accounts for roughly 9.5% of Pakistan’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions.

In agriculturally vital regions like Punjab, textile production significantly impacts land and water resources, with the production of cotton and denim being extremely water and energy-intensive. Weaving, bleaching and dyeing release harmful chemicals and untreated effluents into the environment, leading to marine ecotoxicity, soil degradation and serious health risks for local communities. Rivers such as the Ravi, once vital to farming, are now heavily contaminated by industrial runoff linked to the textile industry. The production of just one pair of jeans can require up to 7,500 litres of water, an alarming burden for water-scarce countries, including Pakistan.  Meanwhile, farmers face worsening challenges from land degradation and water scarcity, further accelerating the loss of fertile land and deepening environmental crises. The unsustainable use of natural resources highlights the urgent need to consider local environmental conditions in global fashion supply chains. 

Pakistan’s Informal Recycling Sector and Greenwashing

In cities such as Satiana and Karachi, the informal recycling sector depends heavily on low-paid, unprotected female labour, who sort chemically treated waste without proper safety measures. With 350 to 450 small-scale recycling units operating without regulation, traceability and compliance are nearly impossible. Meanwhile, less than 1% of clothing is recycled into new garments – a stark case of greenwashing. Without Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, brands face no obligation to manage their waste, leaving countries like Pakistan to shoulder the cost of a system built on exploitation.

Zille Huma – Sustainable Fashion Production in the Global South

In a fashion system that thrives on overproduction and disposability, Zille Huma stands out as a designer rooted in resistance. Born in a small agricultural village in Punjab, Zille Huma’s work, particularly for her slow fashion brand Xile, is inseparable from the land she comes from – a land now rapidly vanishing under the pressures of industrialization and climate change. Zille has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of urban expansion in Pakistan: fast fashion labour exploitation, agricultural land replaced by factories, and rivers run dry and polluted. Her work is an urgent response to these transformations.

Zille was the first in her village to pursue a creative career, studying design at PIFD (Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design) – where she now teaches – and later becoming the first Pakistani woman from her region to receive a full scholarship to Parsons School of Design in New York, where she completed her MFA in fashion. Her time abroad, surrounded by the concrete skyline of Manhattan, only deepened her attachment to the green landscapes of home. Her debut collection,  rich in traditional hand embroidery, deadstock textiles, and reclaimed materials,  bridges the tension between the industrial and the natural, the East and West.  Zille displays her rare dual perspective: the deep-rooted connection to the land and a first-hand awareness of the modern challenges facing the fashion industry. For her, sustainability is a personal and political responsibility.

As a designer, Zille Huma sees the environmental impact of textile waste in Pakistan as urgent. “Water pollution from untreated dye and chemical runoff, massive landfill accumulation from synthetic fabrics, and excessive resource use in production,” she explains, are among the most pressing challenges.

These issues, she notes, are worsened by poor infrastructure and low public awareness, underscoring the need for sustainable design to become not just a choice but a necessity.

In her Lahore studio, Zille centres her work around waste-conscious design, upcycling, and the revival of indigenous craft. “Every scrap has a story,” she says. “I don’t see waste – I see possibility.” Her practice is grounded in using what already exists – deadstock fabrics, recycled textiles, and traditional handwoven materials like khaddar and organic cotton, while employing natural dyes and avoiding polluting chemical processes. These materials, she explains, are essential for reducing fashion’s reliance on synthetic fibres and chemically intensive processes, which are often responsible for high water consumption and environmental pollution.

By sourcing locally and avoiding industrial production lines, Zille also minimizes her carbon footprint and supports Pakistan’s struggling agricultural and artisanal economies. “Using handwoven and locally produced fabrics is not just environmentally responsible – it’s a way of keeping our heritage alive,” she says. Her collections, some of which take up to six months to produce, are built with this philosophy, favouring slow, intentional design over trend-driven turnover. 

Across the ocean, Hawa Patel is building a parallel solution rooted in community, faith, and circular fashion. With Apis Closet, a U.S.-based South Asian outfit rental platform set to launch in Summer 2025, she directly challenges the linear model of “buy, wear, discard” that dominates diaspora weddings and celebrations. Instead of importing expensive, one-wear garments, Apis Closet offers a system to a circular model of “rent, party, repeat”, reducing demand for new materials and extending the life of traditional outfits. By making South Asian fashion more accessible, inclusive, and reusable, Apis Closet brings cultural pride into the heart of the sustainability conversation. 

Api’s Closet tackles the environmental and financial costs of traditional occasionwear. “Many South Asian outfits are imported, worn once, and forgotten,” Hawa explains. This issue is especially pronounced in South Asian weddings, which often span multiple days and events, creating pressure for attendees to wear a different, often brand-new outfit for each function.

Not only is that wasteful, “it is disrespectful to those who work so hard to make the pieces.” By participating in the circular economy, Apis Closet aims to reduce demand for virgin materials and keep garments out of landfills, offering a practical, low-waste solution especially relevant to Muslim and South Asian communities. 

The environmental stakes are clear. “Renting vs. buying new is taking a step to break away from the single-use consumption and waste models that are the norm for society today,” she says. In many diaspora communities, traditional outfits are imported at high costs and worn only once. “By renting, the average consumer is reducing their waste contribution. Renting reduces the constant need to buy new fashion, thus reducing overconsumption.” 

Hawa’s approach is shaped deeply by her faith and cultural identity. “ I believe it is my duty as a Muslim to not be a part of the degradation of the planet and society, at the hands of what I work and love the most- fashion.” For her, sustainability is a moral and spiritual commitment: “I have been blessed with life and I cannot justify using it to overconsume and rot the planet.”Her critique extends beyond personal consumption to the structural injustices in global supply chains. She emphasizes the need for ethical sourcing, traceability, and fair production for regions in the Global South that bear the brunt of fast fashion’s costs. Apis Closet’s sourcing partnerships prioritize small-batch artisan designers and responsible production, moving from mass manufacturing to intentional, value-driven fashion. Social sustainability, she says, is about championing artisans and giving their work the longevity and appreciation it deserves.

While she acknowledges that some parts of the fashion industry are making progress, particularly through ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategies adopted by retailers regardless of local law requirements, she is clear that deeper, systemic change is still needed. “Large-scale change will need to come from within because governments, especially in fashion-producing countries, historically have not passed legislation which protects the environment or garment workers.”

A just fashion future requires global accountability through stronger regulation and reparative justice, alongside local innovation such as the work of Zille Huma and Hawa Patel. Their efforts show how Muslim and South Asian communities can lead the way in building a fashion system rooted in cultural integrity, sustainability, and care.

The post Resisting Fast Fashion: Voices from Pakistan and Diaspora appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Image provided by Adeline Rawlings

“The Women’s Leadership Program has been a catalyst for my growth as a student at GW,” shared Samaa Afoke, a freshman studying Public Health at GW currently enrolled in the WLP– a year-long program where first-year students live together on GW’s Mount Vernon Campus and benefit from close contact with faculty and women in leadership roles. The program includes a weekly interactive symposium offering the young students the opportunity to explore the development of advancing women in leadership roles across various sectors. 

The Leadership for a Sustainable Future Panel included engaging discussions on the professional journey in sustainability of the four women leaders joining the panel, from their freshman college year to their current career point. 

When asked about the critical skills needed to become leaders for a sustainable future, despite belonging to diverse backgrounds ranging from environmental economics and law to faith-based climate action, the reflections shared by the panellists underscored the same message: building coalitions across sectors and groups, offering particular care to communities most vulnerable to the climate crisis by listening and amplifying their voices, building relationships and allies for a just and sustainable future, and becoming expert communicators—be it writing effective emails or attentively engaging in 5 am Zoom calls. 

Image provided by Adeline Rawlings 

“The panels have exposed me to so many incredible female leaders like Nazish and honed my leadership and professional skills. Hearing from panellists across diverse fields like the federal government and university leadership has inspired me to explore a wider range of career opportunities,” emphasized Afoke. 

Adeline Rawlings, another freshman student in the International Politics cohort of the program, underscored the weekly symposia’s positive impact on discussing intersectional women’s leadership topics, while also offering an excellent opportunity to network with speakers joining them. “I have gained insightful knowledge tonight about the impact of global politics and policy as well as current strides towards environmental justice,” shared Rawlings.

Women have a vital role in leading sustainability efforts. Whether starting a non-profit for climate justice or offering pro bono legal workshops to grassroots community leaders on the frontlines of climate crises, women across the U.S. and globally are taking charge of initiatives and movements to weave an equitable, inclusive, and just future for all. 

“As the primary caretakers of humanity, [women] have an immense influence on a generation’s view of climate and climate issues. Women bring their knowledge and expertise in leadership to climate justice as they influence policy, mobilize grassroots initiatives, and drive transformative change that ensures environmental policies are inclusive and just,” shared Afoke. 

The post Women Leaders in D.C. Are Taking Charge for a Sustainable Future appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Take, for example, how we eat: Industrial farming methods, which became the norm (particularly in the United States) by the latter half of the 20^th century, contribute to over 35% of global greenhouse gases. These farming practices, which encourage efficiency and volume over resilience, have degraded soils and reduced biodiversity, making already fragile farm ecosystems even more susceptible to the effects of climate change. 

Nasr’s solution to such modern problems was to reestablish a “spiritual sense of nature,” seeking to see the divine in the natural world. In viewing nature from a symbolic perspective we can more clearly understand our place in the cosmos: “Because of the intimate connection between man and nature,” he wrote, “the inner state of man is reflected in the external order (96).” For example, Surah Fussilat uses the imagery of barren land as a reminder to man that just as Allah (swt) brings new life to fields that go fallow in the winter or during times of drought, we too will be brought back from the dead for judgement:

وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ أَنَّكَ تَرَى ٱلْأَرْضَ خَـٰشِعَةًۭ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَآءَ ٱهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْيَاهَا لَمُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ٣٩
And among His signs is that you see the earth devoid of life, but as soon as We send down rain upon it, it begins to stir ˹to life˺ and swell. Indeed, the One Who revives it can easily revive the dead. He is certainly Most Capable of everything.
(Fussilat, 39)

Ramadan, a time when we are focused on reflection and revelation, is an excellent opportunity to consider the spiritual nature of food. Throughout the Quran, we are instructed to contemplate the symbology of what we eat. This applies not only to our understanding of what is Halal, but also—and more to Nasr’s point—the symbols of the divine inherent in the foods we eat and their production:

Let people then consider their food: how We pour down rain in abundance and meticulously split the earth open ˹for sprouts˺, causing grain to grow in it, as well as grapes and greens, and olives and palm trees, and dense orchards, and fruit and fodder— all as ˹a means of˺ sustenance for you and your animals.
(Abasa, 24-32)

For those who work the land and tend to crops and livestock, living by the ebb and flow of the seasons, contemplating the spiritual aspects of food production is likely an easier task. But how can consumers establish a deeper understanding of the food we eat, if we are not the ones on the farm or in the garden ourselves? 

The best approach may be to not only think about what we eat, but when and where we are eating. Seasonal eating is the idea that one should strive to eat mainly what is local and in season. While “seasonal eating” is a recently popularized buzz term, the practice is as old as humanity itself. Prior to widespread and consistent food preservation methods like canning, freezing, and refrigeration that enabled food to be saved and shipped, most produce was eaten as close as possible to the time and place it was harvested. In this way, food directly connected eaters with changes in the natural world throughout the year, as seen in traditional Native and European American harvest songs or the centuries-old seasonal food rhymes (called Baromashi) of Bengal.

Read More: 10 Must-Reads on Climate, Environment & Islam

Across much of our modern world, consumers and farmers alike have had to forgo local, seasonal food in exchange for speed, convenience, and corporate greed. While some places have built seasonality into their food culture, for many, eating seasonally requires a concerted effort. This could include looking for local produce displays at supermarkets, shopping at farmers markets, and subscribing to a community supported agriculture (CSA) program directly from a farm. Organizations like the Slow Food Movement offer resources to empower consumers to adapt their food choices, which can also be useful for planning environmentally and socially responsible iftars. 

Proponents of seasonal eating suggest that tracking down local food is worth the effort: In addition to connecting eaters with growers that understand the natural cycles of food production, trying to eat seasonally is beneficial to physical health and can combat climate change by reducing the emissions involved in food shipping (though how much it helps is debated).

In addition to thinking about the food we eat from a spiritual perspective, we must also remain aware of our duty to others: Systematic oppression often makes accessing healthy food at all – let alone purchasing in-season produce direct from a farm or farmers market – an especially difficult task for some. During Ramadan, we should be particularly mindful of supporting the most vulnerable among us. By working to make sure that good food is accessible to all, we are also fulfilling our Islamic obligation to seek justice. 

Nasr concludes Nature and Man with this parting wisdom: “He who is at peace with God is also at peace with His creation, both with nature and with man (136).” As we seek guidance and renewal this Ramadan, we should take a moment to contemplate the spiritual dimensions of our food consumption, how it connects us to the rhythms of nature, and how we can help others enjoy the same. 

The post Exploring the Spiritual Connection Between Food and Ramadan appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Nabiha’s work resonates especially within South Asian and Middle Eastern communities, where cultural celebrations often carry a heavy environmental toll. With a BA in Sustainability Studies from Hofstra University, her expertise is well-rounded—not only shaped by academic training but also by a lifelong commitment to promoting eco-conscious practices in spaces that often lack them.

Her parents, both business owners, provided her with early insight into the entrepreneurial mindset. Her interest in environmentalism also began early when her 8th grade science teacher would show her class nature documentaries. These interests surprisingly worked together when she was thinking of a business venture she could throw herself into. Her endeavors, though varied, all tie back into design and the arts— she did her thesis on the fashion industry, and had a stint as a social media marketing manager at a sustainable fashion company. Besides the outright positive effort from a select few companies, she noticed just how wasteful the fashion industry was as a whole. This same observation applied to the events planning industry.

“It started clicking in my head,” Nabiha says. “I’m South Asian and I noticed people from the east— like South Asians, Middle Easterners and East Asians— their parties are really wasteful… and materialistic. I was like, how do I go about this?” In going about the culmination of her small business, she knew this would be a stumbling block. Educating minorities within the Muslim community on the subject would be one her priorities, as well as addressing her own standards for her business:

Nabiha, who is Bangladeshi and based in New York, would go about this in a varied way. While a lot of event planners will travel for a fee, she rebuffs taking a flight for an event or clients. “I know it might hurt me financially, but… I don’t want to have a high carbon footprint. I also want to give business to other small businesses within that region. So I’ll just direct them to (those).” By referring people far away from her home base of Long Island, she ethically helps other sustainably-minded people.

Supporting other local businesses is the crux of her business standards. “I try not to work with vendors that get flowers shipped all the way from, for example, South America, because they’re grown with pesticides.” Shipping the flowers themselves increases the operational carbon footprint, and the events industry is already responsible for over 10% of global CO2 emissions. Day flowers grown in Colombia and flown to the U.S., for example, produced some 360,000 metric tons of CO2 in a recent estimate. “I try to educate people,” Nabiha says. “(If) you’re getting married, or you have a birthday party, graduation, wedding, whatever it is… focus on more local and seasonal items. That’s gonna cost you so much less, and you’re not gonna get exactly what you want, but it’s gonna be really close, and it’s very possible.”

Despite numerous attempts by others to influence her stance, she remains resolute in upholding her self-imposed principles. Her business is driven by a deep commitment to ethical Islamic values and moral integrity, which serve as the core foundation of her motivations and decisions.“I was doing a lot of research (on Islam) when it comes to sustainability,” she says. “I learned so many things about our religion. That was so shocking to me, in a good way.”

“I was relearning Islam…” she says, referencing her journey to making her business into an LLC. “…and reliving life in a new way, Islamically. I was also trying to find ways to be a better person, trying to help educate others to be more mindful when it comes to lifestyle and sustainability.” Avoiding extravagance as a whole is a crucial aspect of being Muslim, but is oftentimes only remembered outside of special events.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The best marriage is one that is easiest.”
Reported by ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 4163

An ‘easy’ marriage doesn’t just mean that the bride and groom get along— it applies to all facets of the process, including a dowry. This, and other evidence from our faith, culminate to a singular ethos in terms of how all Muslims should approach the idea of modesty and asceticism within weddings and events.

Nabiha is not hypocritical when it comes to planning her own personal events. Her own wedding’s guest count was just under 30 people total, spurred by COVID-19 restrictions. The pandemic as a whole reduced the average wedding carbon footprint by 93% due to smaller weddings and travel restrictions. “It was the most beautiful experience that I’ve had such a small wedding, especially as a South Asian,” she says. “And I realized how possible it is to have such an intimate wedding.” Years later, after the pandemic, she was able to host a larger event, but still stayed true to her ethical beliefs by doing more research on sustainability, material sourcing and local vendor selection. This would prove that it was—and is—possible to have a larger event with a low carbon footprint.

Getting the message across to people close to her was done by example. Hosting large-scale gatherings, purchasing numerous outfits over consecutive days, and investing heavily in decor were practices that ultimately felt burdensome and unsustainable to her. “But it was really important for me… to maybe inspire the aunts and uncles that you don’t have to drop all that money, and maybe listen to your kids. Listen to what they want. Because it’s really important for them too.”

Read More: A Climate Professional’s Insight on Islam & Climate

Although she works to sway the preconceived notion towards an over-consumption mindset in the older generation, her clientele of younger people also gives pause towards some sustainable habits. “What I start off with is I tell people how much money they can save,” she presses. “It’s actually really good for not only you, but the environment.”

Despite the lucrative cost-saving potential, some people are willing to throw away this factor for their dream wedding— at the cost of the environment. The average wedding event produces 400 tons of waste per event. Nabiha laments on old clients who would insist on out-of-season flowers, plastic bottles and other tiny details that go against her own business practices. In some countries, a single wedding can produce more than 40 pounds of plastic waste. Some of the biggest contributors to trash after weddings are food, single-use decorations and stationery that is often discarded after the party is over. “So with things like that, I just pitch it in baby steps. Then I start to educate them when they ask for it or they seem really interested,” she notes. “That’s the only way to go about it, because sustainability is still so new.”

Nabiha reaches a lot of clients via her instagram, @thenomadsocial. “Being a nomad is pretty much finding home anywhere you go, right? I feel like it ties in well because the Earth is your home anywhere you are. We’re supposed to be taking care of it as our home— the whole (planet,)” she says.

Through trial and error, Nabiha Rahaman-Çam has managed to fit into this particular web of her own passions as a minority and a Muslim in the over-saturated events-planning industry. While she continues to educate people on the world of sustainability, she’s also able to act ethically within her passions for photography, design, fashion and the events space, while hoping more Muslims pick up more positions in these fields. 

Nabiha Rahaman-Çam can be found at her handles below:

Business Instagram: @thenomadsocial
Personal art & sustainability Instagram: @nabsthenomad

This article included edits to clarify Rahaman-Çam’s principles as it pertains to flower usage, as well as an anecdote on the wedding events mentioned.

The post How One Muslim Event Planner Transforms Celebrations with Sustainability appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.