Second-hand clothes are one of the items that are very attractive to workers and college students due to their diversity in designs and being sold at affordable prices.

A young woman is shopping second hand clothing at the Con Traditional Market. Photo: CHIEN THANG

Second hand clothing stores are mainly concentrated on such streets as Hai Phong, Dung Si Thanh Khe, Le Dinh Ly, Nui Thanh, Dong Da. Many of used clothes are produced by famous brands and imported from foreign countries but they are sold at relatively low cost. Many of such clothes are high quality original 95% new second items while they are used branded clothing with high quality and quite beautiful designs. Therefore, many people still choose to buy second-hand clothing instead of new ones.

Stalls selling second-hand clothes in such major traditional markets as Con, Dong Da, Hoa Khanh, Moi, and Bac My An are always crowded with shoppers in the late afternoon.

Le Nguyen Phuc Khang, a student of the Duy Tan Private University and a regular hunter for second-hand clothes at the Con Market, said that second-hand clothes are very affordable for college students and school pupils as their prices range between VND20,000 – VND 50,000 per item.

Ms. Phan Thi My Hanh, a resident in Thanh Khe Tay Ward, Thanh Khe District and a long-time seller of second hand clothing said that many people think that second-hand clothes are most common, branded vintage items and imported products while they entice customers with affordable cost. Nowadays, buying second hand clothes of famous fashion brands is gradually becoming popular. However, buyers find it more difficult to purchase such items as famous clothing brands produce in limited quantities with competitive products. Hence, these products are not always available for sale. Buyers are not limited to low-income consumers but also high-income consumers who are passionate about hunting for cheap branded clothes.

Ms Le Thi My Dung, the owner of the Coco Second Hand Clothing Store located in Hoa Cuong Bac Ward, Hai Chau District said that many young people prefer buying used rather than new to save money.

Dung remarked that shopping second hand or vintage is a bit like a treasure hunt as buyers have to dig, scour, examine, research to find the hidden gems. She underlined the neeed for second hand clothing shoppers to choose reputable stores to buy genuine products of famous clothing brands in the world.

Currently, fake goods are hugely profitable, increasingly sophisticated and often hard to tell apart from the genuine article, thereby identifying a fake product requiring common sense and a lot of experience. Buyers must learn how to distinguish a fake product from a genuine, recognize fakes and learn how to protect yourself against the hazards of counterfeit products.

Reporting by GIAO THUY – CHIEN THANG – Translating by H.L