The demand for used clothes has increase in Asaba, three days to Christmas celebrations, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A NAN correspondent, who monitored some of the dealers of second hand clothes on Monday in Asaba, reports that the dealers are seen busy attending to numerous customers due to high patronage. 

Some of the dealers attributed the increase in the patronage to the festive season around the corner.

Mrs Joyce Ebenuwa, a dealer at the Asaba Ogbeogono Modern market, said ``we are at the peak of our season and in the last one week, I have opened about five bales of children wears.

This is not possible on a normal period where we have to wait for about four weeks before opening one bale of children clothes’’.

Another dealer, Mrs Rita Okwudili, said ’’patronage is very high this period and this is very encouraging.

“I must say the business is booming this season because there is quick turn-over for us, unlike the normal period when it will take us up to three months to gather our capital.’’

In spite of the increased patronage, dealers decried the increase in the price of the commodity due to increase in exchange rate of dollars to naira.

Mrs Gloria Edore, a dealer of second hand clothes in Asaba, said, `` a bale of children second hand clothes we were buying before now between N70,000 and N100,000 now costs between N80,000 and N120,000.

“Because of the increase in the price of second clothes, this has affected our price as a very good quality dress now costs between N1,500 and N3,000 as against N700 and N1000.

“A pair of jeans trouser which cost between N600 and N800, now goes for between N1,000 and N1,500, depending on the quality’’.

One bale of children’s clothes which cost between N70,000 and N100,000 has increased to between N80,000 to N120,000 in the last one month.

A buyer, Mrs Victoria Ehimba, said that she was in the market to buy second-hand clothes for her children because they were cheaper for her, compared to the prices of news clothes.

According to her, apart from being cheaper than the new clothes, second hand clothes are good qualities. (NAN)