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Gabi's clothes are going out of fashion, young girls choose online shopping
2026-01-02 10:11:36 / EKONOMI&SOCIALE
From a market that in 2015-2016 generated imports worth up to 20 million euros, in the last five years, imports of used clothing have not reached more than 10 million euros. Official Customs data show a contraction of this market over the years, despite the fact that an increase in small shops for used clothing is observed on the ground. In the period January-August 2025, the amount of used clothing imports reached around 4,630 tons, marking a decrease of 4% compared to the same period of the previous year. In terms of value, imports for January-August 2025 were 4.9 million euros, or 5% less than in January-August 2024.
In 2020, imports of used clothing fell to the lowest value for the period 2020-2024, at 8.6 million euros, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. After this year, imports increased and in 2021 reached 10.5 million euros, or 22% more than in 2020. However, the trend in subsequent years was downward, and in 2024 the value of imports decreased again to 8.6 million euros, or 7% less than in 2023.
In Tirana, there are many shops that sell used clothing, otherwise known as “Gabi’s clothes.” This market has undergone a transformation in recent years, moving from trading at stalls to trading in store environments where the products are better displayed.
The increase in small shops has been driven by the profitability of the business, where first-class or “first-hand” clothing is purchased at prices of around 1,000 lek per kilogram, while second-class clothing is purchased at prices ranging from 650 to 700 lek per kilogram. Each piece is sold at retail at prices over 2,000 lek.
Zamira Rreshka, an expert in the second-hand clothing trade, present in the market for 15 years with a store in Tirana, says that another reason for the increase in the number of stores is that this business requires a relatively low initial investment, from 100 to 200 thousand lek to set up stalls and supply goods.
She attributes the shrinking demand for these garments to two main factors: the low quality of goods in the "Gabi" market, where fewer and fewer designer clothes are available, and the increase in online purchases, especially by young girls.
“In the bundles we supply, we find fewer and fewer branded clothing, which previously encouraged people to buy used clothing. For example, in a bundle there may only be 1-2 pieces of expensive brand clothing. Sweaters are increasingly preferred to be bought as branded, while major brands are not preferred for used clothing. We do not have branded sweaters in our supplies, so the demand for this category has also dropped significantly. In general, the demand for used clothing has decreased, as young girls choose to buy online. The category that buys the most used clothing is women employed in professions such as teachers, nurses and doctors,” explains Zamira./Monitor.al
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