A strong sense of style and a shopping list are all Abdullah Aljanah needs when he goes shopping for second-hand clothing. Although he admits buying second-hand, or thrifting, is not widely acceptable in Kuwait, the 21-year-old Kuwaiti is among a growing number of young people who have found ways to shop preloved items for affordable prices.
"We live in an age where fast fashion is consuming all of the world and a lot of clothes go to waste,” said Aljanah, referring to the fashion industry’s shift towards quickly produced trends usually made in large volumes from cheap materials. "Having the option to buy clothes for cheaper and they’re not going to go to landfills is really good for the climate.”
Kuwaitis are well known for being fashion-forward trendsetters but second-hand clothing, said Aljanah, has always been "something of a taboo”. A love for luxury and convenience combined with high purchasing power means locals don’t shy away from splurging on brand new clothing. A lot of expat communities in the country have adopted the same mindset. Adam Cruz, an expat in Kuwait in his early 20s, said his family would thrift home décor, but were iffy about him buying used clothing.
"Older people in general, they don’t really understand the point of thrifting. They would be like, ‘why would you buy things that are cheap and used?’ ‘It’s unclean’ or ‘You should just go buy new pieces instead,’” said Hussein Hosny, another Gen-Z expat who loves thrifting. The generational divide is not unique to Kuwait. A 2024 Ipsos survey has found that 64 percent of Americans aged 18-34 are interested in buying more second-hand or thrifted items. That’s 1.7 times those 65 years and older — only 38 percent of people in that age group are interested in thrifting.
Although thrifting was never mainstream in Kuwait, Saja Jassem, another expat who was born and raised in the country, said she grew up with a different perspective. Jassem fondly remembers gathering with her cousins to lend each other’s clothes or pass down some of the items they outgrew. "The stigma around second-hand is rooted in the insecurities of other people,” she said.
She later went on to create Thrf, a popup thrift and consignment store first launched in 2021. Starting out as an online catalogue with Jassem selling items from her and her mother’s closet to friends, Thrf has now grown to attract tens of people who come to the popup events for thrifting and socializing. "I want to keep spreading the idea (of thrifting) until it’s really normalized,” said Jassem.
The concept is simple — Jassem and her friend Kawthar source pre-loved and vintage items then set up shop, usually over a weekend, to sell them. The location is different every time, and includes cafes, shops and a roller-skating rink. Prices can start as low as 500 fils for some pieces and go up depending on several factors, including the item’s brand, condition and how versatile it is.
A growing market
Worldwide, buying used clothing has never been more popular — the global second-hand market is projected to be worth $350 billion by 2027, according to a report by ThredUp, a used clothing online marketplace. The rise in popularity is likely thanks to TikTok, where a lot of people in the west have been sharing videos of their thrifting finds since the pandemic. That’s how Cruz first got interested in thrifting. "I actually have customers of all ages ... and I’ve had younger customers bring their mom with them,” said Jassem. "Parents would learn from their kids, or they actually are teaching their kids (about thrifting.)”
Thrifters interviewed by Kuwait Times said the appeal is threefold: It allows them to buy unique pieces that maintain their individuality at more affordable prices, all while preventing more clothes from ending up at landfills, thereby protecting the environment. The repeating trend cycles, for example the return of Y2K fashion over the past couple of years, means used clothes from different eras can still be relevant years from its manufacture date.
Lack of accessibility
The biggest barrier for those looking to thrift in Kuwait has been the lack of accessible places to shop. Jassem has tried scouring the Internet for second-hand pieces, but having to pay taxes and shipping fees at the checkout raised the price tag. Cruz said local online thrift stores charged ridiculous prices.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Jassem frequented Odette’s closet, the only second-hand shop she knew of in Kuwait. The shop, once located in 8 Mall in Salmiya, never reopened after the lockdown. The only place open for year-round thrifting is the Friday Market. But wading through the market’s numerous stalls for a good piece and bargaining with sellers can be overwhelming for many. The sprawling open-air shopping area can also get unbearably hot in the summer.
By offering a well-curated and unique collection in a comfortable atmosphere, Jassem hoped Thrf would fill the gap left by the lack of shops like Odette’s. "What Saja is doing is bringing thrifting to the mainstream,” said Hosny. "She has gotten it more accessible by posting about it online and hosting all these popups where a lot of younger people would go.”
The popups are well-attended by Kuwaitis and expats alike — many had thrifted abroad, but a good number got their first taste through Thrf. Customers rave about the events, not only for making thrifting more accessible, but also for giving them a space to find like-minded people. Cruz, Aljanah and Hosny became best friends after meeting at Thrf.
Buying sustainably
Sustainability is key in Thrf’s operations, said Jassem. To start, she gets most clothing for Thrf events through donations from customers. Her friend, Kawthar, uses her expertise to curate vintage items from the UK and Italy. Most of the pieces are timeless and fit most people’s tastes, said Jassem. The items go on the racks for two popups and if they’re not sold, Jassem collaborates with friends to upcycle some of them before they go back on the racks for another round. Her mother is tasked with donating the rest to families in need, whom she knows personally.
While buying second-hand is essentially a sustainable practice, the low prices can easily fuel overconsumption. Jassem has watched with concern people on TikTok turn trips to the Friday Market into a trend. She says shopping at the market without the bargaining knowhow could backfire, driving prices up and making it inaccessible for those who need it the most.
The market can also become a haven for people looking to buy more than what they need. The rise of fast fashion over the past 30 years, coupled with social media serving as a platform to amplify trends quickly and widely, has shifted consumer mindsets to buying for short-term use and then donating or tossing to keep up with the trends.
Preethi Gopinath, an associate Professor at New York’s Parsons School of Design, said in an interview with Vogue that this mindset is not sustainable. Instead, people should be mindful about what they buy and choose items that are made to last, even if it means they were buying fewer pieces for the same price.
But some can still fall into the trend trap despite their best intentions, admits Hosny, who says 60 percent of his wardrobe is from the Friday Market. As his style evolved, Hosny has given away a lot of the items he doesn’t wear anymore to close friends. "When you’re thrifting, just go with the flow. Don’t overthink your purchases. If you regret buying something, just give it to a friend, literally.”