The current economic recession in the country has driven some residents of Calabar in Cross River to patronise fairly used clothes for the Yuletide, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
NAN reports that many households, especially women now go for used clothes for themselves and their children due to the high cost of new ones.
Already, the cost of second hand clothes have gone up beyond what it used to be in the open market.
A resident, Mrs Eunice told NAN at Marian market where she was seeing buying second hand clothes, that it was cheaper and affordable.
“I decided to buy these ones, when I wash it with hot water and take it to the dry cleaner, it will turn to new clothes.
“ Things are just too expensive. One cannot understand the kind of change we are going through, ‘’ she said.
Similarly, Mrs Vera Ekpenyong-Ita said that she took time to select good second hand dresses for herself and the children at Beach market, as she could not afford to buy new ones.
“Imagine a cloth for my three months old baby and they were saying N6000; and I have five children, so where will I get money to buy clothes for each of them in this hard economic situation.
“So I decided to seek alternative in these ones, I don’t care what people call it. I am not the only one, ‘’ she stated.
A single lady, Alice Sunday said she was proud to patronise used clothes because “times are hard.”
“So many people, especially young girls like me cannot even afford okrika talk less of ready-made.
“I am a graduate and there is no work, so where do you want me to get money to buy already made dresses, no way, ‘’ she added.
A dry cleaner, Innocent Imoh, told NAN that the business was booming now more than ever before.
“My brother I am very busy, this is not time to talk. I have dozens of clothes here to work on, as you can see.
“May be you can come back after Christmas. We are in the era of change, as you can see, ‘’ he said. (NAN)