“The name Dolabeco is made up of two parts — dolab, (wardrobe in Arabic), and eco, from eco-friendly,” explains Sara Ragab, a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Mass Communication and team leader of the Dolabeco campaign.
Launched in September 2024, the year-long campaign aims to highlight the detrimental effects of fast fashion and promote sustainable alternatives.
Its slogan, Let Your Wardrobe Breathe, encourages consumers to reconsider their clothing choices and adopt more sustainable practices.
Ragab and her 18-member team are working to dispel common misconceptions about sustainable fashion.
“Many believe that buying clothes doesn’t harm anyone. However, they are often unaware of the toxic substances, such as dyes, used in some factories and the massive water consumption required to produce the clothes they purchase—all of which negatively impact the environment,” she explains. “Socially, there is also tremendous pressure placed on workers in these factories.”
To gauge public awareness, the team surveyed of 500 individuals, including fashion experts.
The results revealed that many people purchase clothing they don't need and often discard items simply to make space for new ones.
The campaign has three phases:
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Dolab Wa'ei (An Aware Wardrobe): Focuses on raising awareness about overfilled wardrobes and encourages more thoughtful consumption. The team also assists individuals in choosing suitable clothing and donates unused items to those in need.
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Dolab Betak (Your Home Wardrobe)Invites people to join the initiative and become more actively involved in sustainable fashion practices.
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Dolab Mo'ather (An Influential Wardrobe): Organizes events and collaborates with social media influencers to spread the message further.
“The aim is to encourage a shift from fast fashion to sustainable fashion,” says Ragab. “People should think twice before buying something. They need to ask themselves, ‘Do I really need this item?’ or ‘Am I buying it simply because it’s trendy?’”
She also urges consumers to consider the quality of their purchases and whether the price reflects the value, and the actual cost, of the clothing.
“People should choose eco-friendly fabrics like linen and consider the working conditions and time that went into producing each item,” she adds.
The campaign also addresses class discrimination and misconceptions surrounding sustainable fashion.
“Many people think that sustainable fashion means wearing second-hand clothes, which is simply not true,” Ragab clarifies.
The team has partnered with the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, NGOs such as the Egyptian Clothing Bank, sustainable fashion designers, and several sponsors.
They have also launched social media pages for their initiative on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, where they regularly post videos to raise awareness among youth about sustainable fashion.
“We recently participated in a clothing recycling activity by organizing an interactive workshop with the NGO From Waste to Good Taste (FWGT),” says Ragab. “We also plan to hold lectures at schools and collaborate with more influencers to expand our reach.”
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