Used clothes business rising

Secondhand cloth sellers doing brisk business in the central business district of Accra

Naa Betty Nelson
Secondhand cloth sellers doing brisk business in the central business district of Accra

Business is growing for old folks (secondhand clothing) sellers, in spite of several warnings from doctors and pharmacists, especially those dealing in ladies used panties, brassieres, slacks and other underwear.

Initially, these items were mainly purchased by ladies, being clothes and underwear, but now young men even purchase more.

These people have eventually abandoned the new items, and rather prefer the used ones, claim they are of good quality and last longer.

On a visit by the Accra File to some market centers such as Kantamanto and the Tema Station, where these items are distributed, it realised that most of the goods do not always contain only women's clothing, but also men, which included panties, boxers, singlets and socks.

Also on sale are other clothing like nightwear, both for men and women, bathing towels, and even handkerchiefs.

Mama Lee, a seller at Kantamanto, indicated to the Accra File that most of these goods arrive from the United States (US), London, Canada, Korea and Italy.

Some of the sellers say they have friends and relatives in some of these countries, who organise people to go through rubbish dumps, and the garbage of their neighbours, just to pick items they have discarded.

She said others also buy in bales, immediately containers with such goods arrive.

Some sellers also interacted with this reporter, and said the Ghanaians abroad go to the homes of the whites/foreigners, to ask of their old items, pile them, and then organise with others who are into the same business, contribute some money to pack them in bales, stuff it with medicine to prevent insects and other organisms from destroying them, and ship them to Ghana. 'That is also their business,' they said.

Still in an interview with Mama Lee, she pointed out that she buys a bale on Saturdays and Wednesdays for the reason that it was the best days for sellers and also it was when the wholesalers bring up or introduce new goods.

She said to her, she finds nothing wrong with the selling and wearing of these old folks clothing, because she believed they were of a better quality, than the available ones manufactured in the country.

But considering all these, there are still side effects in the use of these goods – healthwise. It needs to be checked.