Dong Tac Market in Dong Da District has long been famous as a shopping haven among fashion lovers for its huge range of used clothes at low prices.
A long-time vendor who did not want to be named said most of the items sold at the Dong Tac market are mostly imported from China and Thailand. In the winter, the market is stocked with many South Korean and Japanese coats, jackets and sweaters. Some items from Europe and America can also be found at the market.
From leather jackets and coats to shirts, skirts and even bikinis and lingerie, all sorts of secondhand clothing is available for both men and women.
Prices range from VND40,000-70,000 ($1.68-2.93) for a T-shirt and VND150,000-250,000 for a pair of pants. A jacket, on the other hand, can cost several hundred thousand dong.
The vendor said that the number of young people visiting the market has increased over the past two years, adding that it gets especially busy on the weekends and during the winter season.
The merchandise is sold in barrels and hence the name do thung (Boxed Apparel). Sellers display the clothes in stacks for easy browsing.
Lai The Phuoc (R) says: “After seeing several TikTok videos introducing this market, I came here to give it a go. I prefer owning unique clothing that only I have and vintage clothes rather than brand new ones.”
“I was looking for a new and thrilling experience in clothes shopping, and so I chose this market,” Vi Thi Hoan says.
“I like comfortable clothes. Although it is all second-hand apparel, it looks new to me.”
For those who are learning to hunt for quality goods for the first time, it is quite difficult to rummage through ceiling-high stacks of clothes.
"At first, I felt claustrophobic in the cramped space, but after a while, I got used to it,” Thuy Duong says. “I spend a lot of time choosing clothes, rummaging around for proper jeans. But this has been a fascinating and memorable experience for me.”
