Three finance students from the American University in Cairo (AUC) have won first place in the ICT for Circulatory Competition with an app called ScanHa, aimed at helping consumers make more sustainable fashion choices.
Students Salma Afifi, Jumana Elhefnawy, and Maya Abu Shahba created the app, which allows users to scan clothing barcodes to see sustainability ratings and find eco-friendly alternatives.
The project emerged from the trio’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation course at AUC, where students develop business models and pitch them at the semester’s end.
“We want to create a community of environmentally conscious and responsible shoppers without compromising either style or budget,” said Elhefnawy.
“ScanHa allows customers to scan the barcodes of clothing items while shopping, showing a sustainability rating for each piece. For high-rated items, the user is encouraged to proceed with the purchase, whereas for low-rated items, the user is redirected toward a more sustainable yet identical alternative. ScanHa also offers incentives and discounts for eco-friendly purchases, which makes sustainable shopping more desirable and accessible,” Elhefnawy explained.
The ICT for Circulatory Competition, organised by the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at AUC’s School of Business with the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec), pushes students to use advanced tech to reduce waste and promote ethical practices.
Afifi commented: “We had identified the problem of sustainability in the fashion industry early on in the course.”
Indeed, the fashion industry produces 10 per cent of global CO2 emissions, as the second largest industrial polluter, and is responsible for around 20 per cent of global water pollution.
“However, we just did not know how to go about creating a solution. After weeks of research and brainstorming, we landed on the idea of ScanHa.”
“We want to raise awareness by encouraging consumers to make informed decisions. Whether actively seeking sustainable choices or new to the concept, our objective is to simplify the process of sustainable purchases for the consumer to benefit both the society and the environment,” Abu Shahba added.