Second hand clothes resale shop

 

Bundles!

 

I've written about the second hand clothes market before, as well as live market auctions. But where does this start? Well, most of the time it starts with shipping containers full of bundles. If this topic is of any interest to you, I highly recommend the book The Travels of A T-Shirt in the Global Economy: An Economist Examines the Markets, Power, and Politics of World Trade by Pietra Rivoli. 

In this specific instance, someone had rented out a small stall in Iringa town and transported these bundles for storage. They were all branded with a tag that the seller indicated was a sign they all came together in one shipping container. That means someone in America consolidated the items, wrapped them up, and arranged their shipment to Dar es Salaam. The seller explained that the bundles were graded and the cost of one was anywhere from 250,000-450,000tsh ($100-200). The contents could range from designer items sourced from throw away culture in an affluent suburban neighborhood, or it could be full of dilapidated and disintegrating clothes. 

These bundles will be purchased by entrepreneurs and then usually sold to smaller vendors. Nicer clothes will attract a premium at shops while other items may end up in a random pile with other goods at a fixed price (often accompanied by someone shouting the price). The journey of a t-shirt or pair of jeans can be unexpected...