'Used clothes are cheap and good quality'

Earlier this week a number of activists from the Medan based Association of Used Clothes Traders came to Jakarta to protest the government's policy of banning imported used clothes to protect local industries. Imported used clothes are in fact quite popular among city residents with low incomes. Some of them have given their comments to The Jakarta Post.

Karno, 40, is a motorcycle taxi (ojek) driver in Palmerah Selatan, Central Jakarta. He resides nearby with his wife and three children:

I disagree with the policy to ban importing used-clothes.

The clothes are needed by low-income people like me. The government should not forget that the majority of Indonesians are poor people.

It proves how the government never sides with the poor. I think that we, and not only well-off families, deserve good clothes.

The used clothes are very cheap and are good quality, I am sure. I used to buy some shirts and trousers for myself, they were good and didn't look like used clothes.

They only cost me Rp 10,000 each and I could get just the model I wanted. They fit me and I look good wearing them.

I'm not embarrassed to wear them. It's far better compared to the local products. I would not get that quality of an item of clothing for Rp 50,000 at a department store.

However, I won't let my wife and children buy used clothes. They deserve more decent outfits than mine.

Sarip, 50, is a beggar at Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta. He resides in Joglo, West Jakarta, with his wife and five children:

I used to buy imported used clothes a lot, and so did my wife. She was fond of wearing imported clothes even though they were not new.

The cost at that time ranged from Rp 5,000 to Rp 10,000 a piece and at that cheap prices we could get quality products.

Why should I be ashamed of wearing them? The quality is guaranteed provided we could sort through to get the best ones.

But that was years ago when I was a vendor selling watches at Senen in Central Jakarta. I became a beggar after my business went bankrupt.

Now I don't see any importance in wearing such clothing because nobody will take pity on me if I wear good clothes, right?

Popy, 29, is a housewife who lives in Cakung, East Jakarta, with her family:

I like imported clothing even if they are used. I used to buy such kind of clothes when I had enough money for them.

For only Rp 20,000 or Rp 50,000 I could have brand name clothing and nobody knew that it was used. I never felt embarrassed to wear them.

I reckon that the quality and variety of designs are better than the local products. Many friends of mine who work with companies also bought these items.

I wish I can buy some more brand name clothes some day when I have enough money.

-- Leo Wahyudi