New life: Yeap (right) and her lead supervisor Lim Ai Lay sorting pre-loved clothing at her shop in Tanjong Tokong, Penang. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: More Malaysians are turning to pre-loved clothes to cut costs and reduce waste.
Bundle shop owner Zul Afkar Mohammad Kamal, 31, said his business has been thriving with strong demand from various age groups.
“Most of my customers are students, young people and families from the B40 and M40 groups.
“Bundle clothing helps them save money and manage their finances better,” said Zul Afkar.
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He said thrift or bundle shopping is also a way to reduce textile waste.
“It reduces clothing waste because every piece can be reused, either worn again or repurposed as rags,” he explained.
For Termizi Muhamad, 33, bundle shopping has become a monthly habit.
“I usually look for rugged brands, shoes or bags that are not available in local stores.
“Some older pieces are better quality than today’s fast fashion pieces because the materials last longer,” he said, adding that thrift shopping is good for the environment if buyers are mindful of how much they actually buy and use.
“Yes, it reduces waste, but only if you buy what you need. If it’s cheap and you buy excessively, then it defeats the purpose,” said Termizi, who is an engineer.
Healthcare worker Nurul Jannah Samsudin, 35, said the affordability and uniqueness of pre-loved clothing are her main draw.
“With the rising cost of living, people need to be smarter with financial planning.
“I can get stylish pieces for as low as RM5. It’s not about how expensive your clothes are, but how you carry the look,” she said.
Nurul said the quality of these pre-loved or bundle clothes is another advantage.
“Some vintage items last much longer than fast fashion. I still wear bundle clothes I bought more than 10 years ago when I was a student,” she said.
However, not all Malaysians are comfortable with the idea of pre-loved clothing.
Rafiqha Mustaffa, 33, said she avoids thrift and bundle items due to hygiene concerns.
“I worry about cleanliness and potential health risks. Some clothes may be stained, and we can’t be sure of their origin.
“While the prices are cheaper, I’m not willing to take the risk,” she said.
In George Town, a shop run by an NGO sells pre-loved clothes donated by the public, with proceeds going to help those in need.
Operated by the Women’s Centre for Change, the WCC Value Shop sold about 32,000 pieces of pre-loved clothing last year alone.
“These are not bundle-grade items but carefully selected pieces in good condition that are donated by the public,” said WCC Value Shop chairman Annie Yeap.
Proceeds from sales go towards helping women and children who are abused, raped or suffer from domestic violence.
Yeap said the sale of pre-loved clothes directly challenges the throwaway culture of fast fashion.
“While fast fashion encourages people to buy more often, pre-loved shopping is closer to what we call ‘slow fashion’.
“It prolongs the lifespan of clothes and reduces how many end up in landfills,” she added.
Yeap, 53, said that thanks to donors, the shop, which opened in 2017, has a steady flow of branded, high-quality pre-loved clothes for sale.
For shoppers like Michael Low, 45, pre-loved clothing is proof of lasting value. He still wears a sweater he bought for RM15 from a bundle shop in 2010.
“I wear it to sleep. Till today, it has never faded. There’s no sign of wear or tear despite the countless washes,” he said.
Christine Sum, 45, from Hong Kong, donates regularly to the WCC Value Shop while also buying pre-loved pieces.
“I often have to clear out my wardrobe and instead of throwing away clothes in good condition, I prefer donating them,” she said.
