Kids

Big Reasons Why Ukay-Ukay is Becoming Big Among Millennial Parents

by Kevyn Gohu
September 8, 2022

Ukay-Ukay or pre-loved clothes are becoming all the rage again among millennial parents.

“Ukay-Ukay”, also known as a “flea market”, is a great source for a lot of good finds when you have a keen eye. Numerous Instagram shops have been putting up a whole bunch of pre-loved and online “ukay-ukay” shops, making it more accessible to millennials and Gen Zs. But here are other reasons why ukay-ukay shopping is a big thing among millennials.

1. They know their brands.

Millennials have a big gripe with the economy but still want to look chic and fashionable. Considered one of the more “thrifty” or “kuripot” generations, they’ll gladly sift through an ukay-ukay for some good finds. Some are even lucky enough to find an Erdem Dress that’s normally P16,000++ but get it at P2,000. That’s 1/8th the price!

2. Some have a strong sense of sustainability.

Climate change and environment activism became a bigger thing among millennials and almost every choice made includes thinking about how it’ll impact the environment. Instead of buying new clothes, they’ll go for export overruns or pre-loved clothes instead.

3. Preference for the classic and basic designs

The pandemic helped millennials re-evaluate what their wardrobe is supposed to look like. With the sudden rise of neutrals and classics being chic, most of the latest fashion stores don’t have it save for the ever-favored Uniqlo. But even Uniqlo might be too expensive for them so ukay-ukay is the best way to go.

4. Ukay-Ukay shops are the perfect source for “Looks for Less”.

Millennials grew up watching shows like “Looks for Less” so it’s no surprise that’s how their fashion sense would operate. For ladies who took sewing back in high school, there’s nothing a little nip-tuck and accessorizing can’t do to make what was supposed to be out of fashion become in.

5. The annoying “Asian-size”

Because most clothes are mass-manufactured in China, a lot of the clothes come out rather tiny. It’s frustrating for millennials who are bigger and taller than the typical Asian, forcing them to spend wads of cash to buy bigger sizes. Ukay-ukay shops often get their stocks from Western brands, making their sizes a bit bigger. Sometimes, a Western Small can be an Asian’s Large!

6. Sometimes, the quality of ukay-ukay can be better than a typical clothes shop.

Because clothes and fashion shops rely heavily on mass production and fast fashion, quality does suffer. Frayed threads, easy tears, and bad stitching — all these are usually common in wardrobe necessities like tank tops, shirts, bandeaus, and even pants. Millennials have developed a keen eye for these things and they normally find better quality ones in ukay-ukay stores.

7. The new trend: accessories

Millennials nowadays are more prone to investing in accessories than in clothes. While the clothes can range around P200 to P500 from the ukay-ukay, they will gladly splurge on jewelry that goes as high as P20,000. For them, it’s an investment since the market for gems and jewelry is not as volatile as clothes.

8. The pride of getting a look for less.

Among millennials, having a certain amount of money may be one impressive factor. But making smart buys, especially in fashion, generates even more praise and pride. All the more digging through the ukay-ukay shop is an impressive feat. To them, it doesn’t always matter where it comes from. If the piece looks good and it’s from a good brand — go for it.

9. Less guilty feeling when making fashion adjustments

Sometimes, instead of buying the actual fashion piece, millennials will identify the components. A denim jacket, for example, with a certain embroidery can easily be done by finding a denim jacket at an ukay-ukay for around P300 and then embroidery of choice. It’s an expression of identity for them, too. Plus, it’s not as painful as a denim jacket from a usual clothes store that’s around P800.00 to P1,200.

10. They don’t mind the extra laundry work.

Contrary to popular belief, millennials are quite willing to learn extra life skills especially if it saves them money. With the ton of skincare items available on the market, they can easily address the drying of their skin after constant exposure to laundry detergent from washing their latest finds from the ukay-ukay. Plus, there are a lot of laundromats around who can do the job for them.

Ukay-ukay shops are a thrill for Millennials!

Besides the pride in making smart financial choices, millennials love that ukay-ukay shops offer a wide variety of designs that probably never made it to the Philippines. Although it’s a bit of a risk especially when the clothes are only seen on screen, it’s something that millennials willingly take. Since it’s not as expensive as something brand new off the rack, it’s almost guilt-free.