KUALA LUMPUR: Worn out T-shirts are often used as rags, but many would be surprised to know that some of the old T-shirts can fetch up to thousands of ringgit and are sought after by vintage lovers worldwide.
For lovers of “pre-loved clothes,” they do not mind rummaging through piles of clothing at “bundle” or used clothing outlets for the T-shirts, which are sold for as low as RM5 a piece.
These T-shirts are popular among youngsters, especially those who love street fashion.
Twenty-one year-old Mohammad Rohaizad Roslan, who operates a bundle business, said for T-shirts with graphic of famous musical groups from the 1970s and 1980s such as Iron Maiden and Metallica, as well as rockers, like Bon Jovi, are priced at between RM1,000 and RM2,000 a piece.
“These kind of T-shirts are sought after not only because of their preference for a certain kind of music, but also because of the influence from international celebrities who like to wear clothing of special vintage edition as an expression of their identity and fashion sense,” he said when met at a Bundle Expo in Bukit Jalil recently.
The Kedah-born businessman said t-shirts printed with cartoons in television programmes from the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000 such as Rugrats and Spongebob are also popular.
“The cartoon graphics have sentimental values and remind them of their childhood,” he added.
Another bundle clothing seller, Muhammad Amirul Ikmal Zulkifli, 24, said a ‘hoodie’ (top or sweatshirt with a hood) of a South Korean brand called Pancoat, is among the most sought after pre-loved clothing as it is difficult to get.
The brand is popular because its clothing are made of quality material, of bright colours with cute animation characters such as duck, peacock and dragon , he said, adding that fans of the clothing are now looking for the ones with the unicorn character as there was no more new production for the edition.
He said clothing from brand names worn by K-Pop artists in game shows and on social media are also in demand among bundle lovers.
Meanwhile, a collector of vintage items, Abu Bakar Azman, 30, said buying pre-loved items could also serve as an investment.
“Most bundle items are bought at cheap prices, and can be sold again at a higher price, like clothing from the 1980s by Vivian Westwood,” he added.
Nurien Uzma Zakaria, 16, said she doesn’t mind buying her clothing at bundle shops at it enables her to get branded outfit at a cheaper price.
“I am used to wearing bundle clothing since I was small,” she added.-BERNAMA
