JEDDAH – The rapid increase in the price of garments has prompted the low income group to buy used dresses. Several expatriates in South Jeddah's Al-Sawarikh Market, which comes alive on weekends, have a thriving business of used dresses. The salesmen said that many locals come in scores to buy the used dresses because of there enormously low price. It is a lucrative business because the purchasing cost is very low. The used dresses are brought on wholesale prices from poor women who get the dresses in charity from affluent families or collect from garbage cans and refurbish them before selling to the salesmen. The former also approach bereaved families to get dresses of the deceased persons. Ali Botel, who is in the business of selling used dresses for a long period, said: “We buy dresses from street collectors who dump them in the market usually on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.” Botel said that each piece costs them around SR5 and they easily manage to resell them for SR30 or SR35. The salesmen also have tailors to take care of all patchworks and stitching. Another salesman said that most of his customers are expatriates with low income and they pay no heed to quality, but price. “My collection of dresses include some used high quality, colorful dresses and winter clothes, the prices of which oscillate between SR40 to SR70.” Salesman Abu Omar said that he has established contacts with some African women, who go around knocking the doors of affluent families in posh neighborhoods asking for used dresses. “Sometimes the families donate new dresses, too,” said Abu Omar, adding that he pays SR25 for each new piece. Some customers before purchasing ask the salesmen if the used dresses belong to the deceased or not. The latter tactfully tell them that no harm would be inflicted upon them even if it was worn by the deceased. Muhammad Shakar, who sells traditional cloaks worn by men on the top of the thobe, said that the average price of a cloak is SR50. There are two colors available in cloaks – black and red, and most customers prefer red. “One day I saw a cloak near the trash, I took it home and washed it before displaying for sale,” Shakar said. Hassan Al-Amri, a security guard, said he goes to Al-Sawarikh Market to buy secondhand clothes because of his financial position. “I draw a monthly salary of SR1500 so I cannot afford to buy a new thobe costing SR300. “Therefore, I come to this market where I can buy three thobes for SR60,”Al-Amri said. Ahmad Al-Sahili said that some clothes are cheaper at the secondhand market as compared to brand new clothes. “Whenever I buy used clothes, I take them to the laundry before wearing them,” he said.
