Yet, in a country where nearly 45 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, affordability remains the main driver behind the trend.
According to the Pakistan Business Council, the nation imported nearly US$511 million worth of used clothing between July 2024 and June this year – an 18 per cent increase from the previous fiscal period.
Most of that volume is re-exported, but traders estimate that 10 to 20 per cent ends up in local markets across cities.
At these markets, secondhand garments sell for as little as US$2 to US$4 per piece, which is much cheaper than locally made new garments that can cost between US$18 and US$25.
The import and reuse of second‐hand textiles in Pakistan is deeply linked to global patterns.
A 2023 report by the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association and other authors found that the EU exported around 1.4 million tonnes of used textiles or unwanted clothes worldwide in 2021, with Pakistan among the key destinations. That year, the EU shipped secondhand clothing worth US$46 million to Pakistan.
NOT A “DUMPING GROUND”
However, not all items exported to Pakistan make it to store shelves.
When garments arrive in poor condition, many end up discarded, dumped, or even burned, adding to the country’s growing waste problem and contributing to global climate change.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/pakistan-secondhand-used-clothes-boom-environmental-concerns-5479731
