When the traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) comes, instead of buying new clothes, many young people choose to buy second-hand ones at a cheaper price to tighten their purse strings after a year of economic challenges.

Customers who are mainly young people talk to each other about how to mix and match clothes for Tet

In recent years, hand-me-down goods have gradually become a shopping habit of young people. In addition to owning unique items at a cheaper price than the original ones, young people believe that using them also helps ease the adverse environmental impact of discarded garments on their city, a move to protect the living environment. That’s a way to turn one man’s trash into another man’s treasure.

Along with the demand, many shops specialising in selling second-hand goods have gradually formed, bringing the best shopping experience to customers. Customers can freely choose and try on whatever they want at the store.

Depending on the material and newness, the price of the item will range from VND 30,000 to 250,000. Shoppers are mainly students, in addition to office clerks and middle-aged people.

Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc Tram, the manager of Bazar - a store that sells secondhand goods on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Hai Chau District said: "2022 witnessed economic challenges, so buying second-hand goods helps customers save money. Although the item is old, the quality is not too different from the new one because the items we sell have been carefully selected for quality".

Having been charmed with old things since 10^th grade, Ngoc Han, a student from the city-based FPT University only buys new things when they are the ones she really likes or needs.

“For me or many other female peers, clothes taken even for once have become old things. Buying new ones regularly will cost a lot of money, so the secondhand is the best choice, both helping us save money and limiting harms to the environment. I don't think Tet is an occasion for buying new things. Actually, during the whole year, I often shopped for  new clothes, besides handed-down ones”, said Han.

Holding three items in her hand, Han calculated the amount she had to pay about was only more than VND200,000. These are the items that Han intends to wear during Tet. Han added that because her pocket still depends on her parents, she has to consciously spend and save.

When Tet comes, many young people choose to buy second-hand things to save money.

At the Da Nang branch of the Give Away store located on Le Dinh Ly Street, Hai Chau District, according to records, in the days leading up to Tet, the number of customers coming to the store and the number of goods sold increased more than on weekdays.

To serve the shopping needs of customers, the store closes an hour later than usual and is open until the end of the 29^th day of the 12^th lunar month of 2023. In the days leading up to Tet, employees have to work overtime and arrive early to prepare more goods for sale.

With the nature of the job that often needs to be fresh in costumes, over the past three years, Pham Thi Phuong Thao, a student from the Da Nang Junior College of Culture and Arts, majoring in vocal music, has always maintained the habit of buying buy the used clothes. This habit has helped Thao save a large amount of money on performance costumes.

This Tet festival, Thao also chooses to buy hand-me-down clothes in serves for both hanging out at Tet and making video of her dance performances on social networks.

“The second hand is cheap, the design is quite diverse. With about VND 500,000, I can buy 7-10 items. I can spend the money saved from fashion shopping can buy a few other necessary things for Tet", said Thao.

To raise the bar for old items, Thao learns how to mix and match clothes from social networks. Before deciding to buy, Thao will see how the item can be combined with other outfits. By doing so, Thao has helped old items be reused, turning into beautiful clothes at a price many times cheaper than the original ones.

“When someone compliments an outfit I bought from second hand, I'm very proud. I hope that each outfit I wear will be an inspiration for other students to have a more positive view of reusing old clothes, a step to contribute to environmental protection”, said Thao.

Spacious shopping space helps customers to freely choose clothes at the Give Away store.

A female shopper picks up favourate clothes for Tet.

Each customer buys two or more items at a secondhand store.

Reporting by THU DUYEN - Translating by A.THU