Novel-tee Charges Your Phone, Someday

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Charging our clothes to credit cards is nothing new.  Now our clothes may be doing the charging. Scientists at the University of South Carolina (USC) have devised a way to turn the material in a cotton T-shirt into a source of electrical power. They envision a future where electronics are part of our wardrobe. A […]

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Sustainable clothing inspiration

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Let’s face it, eco-friendly clothing is hard to come by in the Middle East. Desire to own the top brand names at whatever financial cost often trumps planetary-consciousness, so there’s little incentive for designers to go green. But for those who still want to look their best without hurting the earth, there is light at […]

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Off the Gireed is a Sassy Egyptian Furniture Line Made with Organic Palm Fiber

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Although Moursi has worked on satellite cities in Kuwait and interior design for river Nile cruise boats, it is telling that she has switched her focus to creating a sustainability ethos within the Egyptian context. Such leadership is badly needed in this country, although we are happy to report that the newly-invigorated local populace is slowly taking up the mandate to forge ecologically and socially-responsible businesses.

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Egyptian Library is Sustainable Regional Role Model

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This fall Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandria will celebrate the tenth anniversary of its opening. It is one of the region’s grandest and most beautiful libraries. Although it currently holds only one million books there is room for expansion. Bibliotheca Alexandria has shelf space for over eight million books. This library has become a public center of learning […]

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Acre Father Aims to Make His Capital Green

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Ilan Suisa, a father of four from Akko (Acre), aspires to make his ancient hometown the environmental activism capital of Israel. According to news reports he has even changed his name to “Ilan Green-Suisa.” Over time, Green-Suisa convinced the Akko municipality to place forty recycling bins throughout the city: “Akko won the first place in Israel for recycling,” […]

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Mohammed Kanoo Shows How Arab Culture Is Never Black and White

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Mohammed Kanoo’s portraits aim to tease out our biases about the Middle East. Above is US President Barack Obama.  In his solo exhibition Fun with Fen (fen is Arabic for “art”) currently on display at Dubai’s Meem Gallery, the Bahraini artist Mohammed Kanoo depicts international celebrities dressed in traditional Arab costume. Kanoo’s digitally enhanced photographs are […]

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Eco-Friendly Bridal Gowns the Israeli Way By Liraz Rubbin

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April 2012 saw Tel Aviv’s first Bridal Fashion Week, featuring fifty up and coming Israeli designers. Israel’s lucrative bridal fashion business is on the rise. And now it appears that Natalie Portman’s eco-friendly engagement ring or vegan shoes are not the only green, Israeli trendsetter snagging headlines. Israeli designer Liraz Rubbin uses natural materials and prides herself on […]

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