The sale of winter clothes, particularly second-hand, has gained momentum as many stalls selling woollies can be seen in different areas of the federal capital – the latest rising trend of second-hand stuff is going to overtake fast fashion in the next few years.
Heaps of second-hand quilts, blankets and rugs are up for sale at weekly Sunday bazaars. The main advantage of buying second-hand clothing is that it is much cheaper than buying new.
All kinds of wear and accessories including gloves, woolen hats, mufflers, pullovers, sweaters, shirts and jackets are also seen hanging in front of shops and stalls of weekly bazaars. Crowds of people, both poor and rich, can be seen bargaining with retailers in markets and Sunday bazaars.
According to the World Economic Forum, the market value of secondhand clothing has reached $24 billion by 2018 and is expected to double in the middle of the next decade.
Muhammad Khan, a buyer at H-9 Weekly Bazaar said that second-hand clothes were once affordable for the people but now the exorbitant rates of clothes in these bazaars have created a sense of frustration among them.
Ahmed Ali, another, second-hand clothes stall holder in the bazaar said that the variety of imported clothes is available at economical prices which is a great source to protect the dignity of white collar strata of the society.
He said that prices of second-hand winter stuff have registered a significant increase in the bazaars. He claimed that “we are already taking a minimum profit on selling these products despite price-hike-situation in the country.”
The shops for second-hand items are not always for poor or poverty-stricken people, many middle-class and wealthy individuals shop in the shops and also swap designer clothing on a regular basis. “Some people purchase second-hand stuff due to the economic problems.”
The bazaars second-hand clothes are found everywhere in the city and poor customers are looking for moderately priced warm clothes for the winter season.
The second-hand clothes owners maintained that people prefer buying clothes, handbags, furniture, and kids’ items from the second-hand stalls. The reason is that several branded new items, especially clothes, are made with lesser quality materials and sold at higher prices.
The secondhand clothes are mainly imported from China, The United States of America and Canada which became the 69th most imported product in Pakistan. The country has long had a booming secondhand market, with clothing being sold at its “second-hand clothes markets.”
Digitalizing this market makes sense for Pakistan: the country has a huge young population with around 64 percent of the population under 30 years of age. Internet penetration stood at 36.7 percent at the start of 2023, giving easy access to online stores.
“Young people are looking at global trends on social media. They follow celebrities and know which shoes are famous, but they don’t have access to those brands,” said Fayaz Khan a digital expert.
He said, “We are bridging the gap by bringing the best of sneaker culture to Pakistan and listing them on our website for a fraction of the cost of what their brand-new counterparts would cost.” The country has long had a booming secondhand market, with clothing being sold at its “second-hand clothes markets”, he added.
Zara, a student and second-hand clothes stall holder at H-9 Bazaar, said that a variety of imported clothes is available at economical prices. She said that the stuff was affordable for a large segment of the society.
