By Joelyn Baluyut | The Peninsula
A winter collection “Every Step Counts” that raises awareness on the endangered species in Qatar and the region has been unveiled on Thursday at M7 in Msheireb.
Speaking to The Peninsula, CEO and Founder of Baby Elephant Organic Wear, Aysha Almudahka, said the collection is “a showcase that every step counts, meaning, that anything we do can change the narrative, and this is what we are trying to send a message. You can make changes and it is all in your hands.
The winter collection features mini-me with the parents, or a mix and match with adults and kids. Every Step Counts is the name of the collection which focuses on three animals from the region. “We did a research on it which are being conserved by Qatar and region.”
Almudahka was referring to the Dugong, Arabian Oryx and Houbara. Dugong faces the risk of extinction due to their food seagrass being threatened by coastal development or industrial activities; if there isn’t enough seagrass to eat, they cannot live; also, they often become victims of bycatch.
Arabian Oryx, meanwhile, was reverted in 2011 to vulnerable status on the International Union Conservation of Nature Red List, it was classified as endangered in 1986. And Houbara or a type of bird. The Ministry of Municipality and Environment in 2019 started breeding the Houbara to keep in from extinction.
The clothing line uses entirely organic for sustainability. It was Baby Elephant Organic that initiated the use of organic clothing in Qatar. “I think now there’s a whole awareness on sustainable fashion and actually looking at slow fashion instead of fast fashion is a whole change of mindset,” Almudahka said.
“We are the first one in Qatar who launched the first organics wear, but now if you look at different shops, different designers, they actually have aligned or tuned their business to sustainable or organic wear. Five years ago it didn’t exist, very minimal, now people want to be part of it and change is happening,” she explained.
Baby Elephant Organic Wear Partner Ieva Simkiene meanwhile disclosed that “we subtly feature Dugong, Arabian oryx and Houbara throughout the designs along with the powerful messages in Arabic, like “The future is in my hands,” “Let’s be part of the solution and not a problem.” She added: “with this colorful collection, we aim people to do sustainable choices and to remind that sustainability can be supported through small decisions daily.”
