Market & Industry:

FILIPINOS’ appetite for fashion grows as rapidly as the weather in the Philippines change. With the fashion
industry mainly dependent on the consumers’ demand and the trend, there is also a fast pace on
production and individual’s fashion preferences. But apart from this, fashion is art. It allows to mix and
match, to be resourceful, to be creative, and to express oneself and one’s choices through garments.

In the Philippines, the attitude of Filipinos towards new clothes is almost always associated with
celebrations or a reward. When in Western countries, consumers can afford change of clothes as abruptly
as fashion trends change, here in the Philippines, the middle class Filipino rarely buys signature clothes in
malls but instead opt to shop in ukay-ukay stalls. For as low as P5 and lots of patience, one can actually
score a decent blouse or a skirt.

Ukay-ukays are used clothes from first-world countries sent to the Philippines as relief goods or donations.
But business-minded Filipinos find opportunities in the oddest of things. Business thrives because there is
a demand. The market digs cheap and relatively decent clothes and shoes.

Ukay-ukay nowadays is a very affordable source of fashionable yet durable clothing material for those
with relatively low incomes. Some people would resort to buying ukay-ukay items because the latter are
relatively homogenous with the brand new garments and accessories that may be bought in relatively
high-class stores and shopping malls.

The market for bargains is booming, fuelled by the economy, ethical buying and ease of purchase online.
But research shows age and gender both impact on what consumers want from their bargain basements.

A third of consumers are buying more second-hand items than they were 12 months ago and more women
are happy to rummage through vintage or used items than men, according to new research shown
exclusively to Marketing Week.

There will always be a strong second-hand market because people are looking at how they maximize their
return on income and it’s now such an established marketplace. The channels and reasons for choosing
used items differ by age group and gender. Women are more likely to buy different types of second-hand
items .

Main reason for shopping second-hand, saving money is mentioned most, particularly by the 18 to 24 age
group. Older respondents are more likely to say that buying second-hand enables them to buy something
for themselves while supporting a charity. Women are more likely to cite a love of a bargain, supporting
charity and greener motivations for buying second-hand.

Looking at the purchasing behaviour of ’second-hand shoppers It reveals differences in the motivations
and channels people prefer when buying pre-owned items.

There seems to be a growing acceptance that, while shopping for second-hand is largely motivated by
saving money, recycling or ’upcycling’ items is another factor. With continued media interest in this area,
such activity has established second-hand shopping as an accepted part of the mainstream.

Mobile technology also has a clear role to play in future growth. Preloved experiences over 20 per cent of
its traffic via mobile, which looks set to continue to grow .
Philippine-made textiles and garments are said to be 30 percent more expensive than their counterparts
in the market, due partly to the inefficient local production and technology processes as well as their
relatively low productivity (Go 2002). The textile and garments industry still needs adequate provisions
for the training of as well as incentives for workers, technological efficiency, development in market
production, and creation of regulating bodies. It will be tougher for these local firms to compete against
the ukay-ukay sellers.

To protect the local garments, textiles and clothing industries, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo banned
the entry and sale of ukay-ukay items in the market. This created discontent among their patrons, who
look at ukay-ukay goods as the most affordable in the market (Philippine Star 2002). This also entailed
some implementation cost on the side of the government. While authorities have every legal right to
confiscate and even burn such items, ukay-ukay stall owners managed to remain unscathed by relocating
outside Metro Manila—to locations not usually monitored by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).