BATOOL GHAITH (ABU DHABI)
A new initiative at Zayed University is bringing together art, sustainability and innovation through a hands-on learning experience that allows students to transform waste materials into creative outputs.
The papermaking initiative, introduced for students enrolled in ART 121 during Spring 2026, focuses on turning discarded cotton fabric and dried plant materials into high-quality handmade paper, which is then used in art and design projects.
It is developed under Fresh Press Emirates, inspired by the innovative idea developed by Fresh Press Paper in 2012 at the University of Illinois in the US, founded by Eric Benson, and supported by WB Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by Hilton, which provided used hotel linen as raw material.
The students from the College of Arts and Creative Enterprises and the College of Natural and Health Sciences at Zayed University come together in a collaborative effort to highlight the power of interdisciplinary education in driving sustainable creative practices.
As part of the programme, students engage directly with the materials and processes involved in papermaking, gaining practical experience while exploring sustainable approaches to design.
Speaking to Aletihad, Aysha Alriyami, a senior student from the College of Natural and Health Sciences at Zayed University, said the reason for involving students in this traditional and regenerative craft is to help them develop their understanding of eco-friendly practices in art and design.
She noted that students learn by following all stages of production, from preparing raw fibre obtained from discarded cotton textiles and locally grown plants to transforming them into sheets of paper, and utilising it in their own art or design project.
“Even if the resulting piece of paper needs to eventually be discarded, it can be reformed into another new sheet of paper, showing circularity throughout the entire lifecycle from sourcing the material to discarding the sheet at its end of life,” she added.
For her, the project reflects the growing intersection between art, sustainability, and environmental responsibility. “Paper is an indispensable medium in art and design, and it is closely tied to environmental responsibility – both in its production and how it is reused and recycled at the end of its life,” Alriyami said.
Also speaking to Aletihad, Fatima Albadi, a first-year student who took part in the initiative, noted that being involved in the entire process raises awareness of the different factors involved in the making of any art or design piece.
“It encourages students to ask questions about the source and methods of production of any medium that they would eventually select as practitioners,” Albadi said.