Wanted: Towels to clean muddy houses

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Being drenched by the rain and floods for nearly three weeks, Jakartans are in serious need of something to dry themselves off with. Flood victims have been very creative by using reject towels. They are not merely using them to dry themselves, but also their homes and furniture.

Several customers at Jatinegara market in East Jakarta and Senen market in Central Jakarta said they were all using the reject towels to clean up their muddy floors, furniture and household effects now that the water had begun to recede.

"Towels can absorb the mud and water very easily. They are also easy to wash and dry," said Rita, an elderly housewife in the Kampung Melayu area of East Jakarta.

Rita's house was inundated almost since the beginning of the floods in Jakarta late last month.

"Another consideration is that the reject towels are cheap so I can save my money," she said, adding that she had to buy a variety of cleaning materials, including disinfectant and mops.

Some vendors in both markets, located near the flood-hit areas, acknowledged that it was an ill wind that blew no good.

"The people are now buying towels in big quantities to clean their houses and belongings," said Martono, a reject towel seller in Jatinegara market.

Another vendor in Senen market, Roni, concurred, saying his business had increased significantly due to the floods.

"Towels are the best things for absorbing water. They are also soft so they won't ruin furniture or easy-to-scratch things such as glass," he told The Jakarta Post while serving his customers.

Martono claimed he has been able to sell more than nine kilograms of reject towels per day. This is a big increase over his pre-flood total of four kilograms. Meanwhile, Roni was selling more than 10 kilograms per day, up from his regular six kilograms.

Martono buys all his stock from the Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta but Roni purchases his from another vendor, who gets the material from towel factories in the Tangerang area.

Each kilogram of reject towel is sold at between Rp 30,000 (US$2.95) and Rp 50,000 based on the quality. A kilogram of reject towel comprises between three and 10 towels depending on the size. In fact, the so-called reject towels being sold are in relatively good condition.

Both Martono and Roni claimed they had doubled their profits from Rp 50,000 per day to Rp 100,000.

Towels are not the only commodity being bought by the flood victims in large quantities. Candles, umbrellas, hurricane lamps and kerosene lamps are also in great demand among the flood victims.