Souk al-Itfayeh: Damascus’ Largest Second-Hand Clothes Market

Souk al-Itfayeh is the main used clothes market in Damascus city. The Souk is located in Khalid Bin Alwaleed Street, in Qanawat district in the Damascus downtown.

 

It is easy to distinguish the Souk where  street vendors shout ‘ Any piece for 500 Lira’, ‘ Three pieces for 1,000 Lira’, ‘Come and See’, ‘ Come and buy’, ‘ Come and try’, ‘ Garments for women , men and children’, ‘ the Best European clothes and shoes’ and other shouts can be heard in each corner of the Souk.

Tens of shops and stalls present their goods of clothes, shoes and boots, jeans, caps and hats, bedsheets and covers, and colored children’s toys.

“There are two second -hand markets in Damascus city.  This market, Souk al-Itfayeh, which is the largest and Souk Sheikh Saad in Mezze neighborhood,” Mohammad, the 40-year-old seller said to Syria Times.

 “The poor and displaced families come to the second-hand markets to buy their needs of garments and shoes because of their low price as they cannot go to the Al-Hamra and Salhyiah markets to buy the new garments,” Mohammad added.

 

“The second-hand garment markets are not only visited by the poor but also by the rich and wealthy people. Every few days, I meet with a rich man or woman who are looking for famous international brands such as Mango, Esprit, Zara, H&M, Vero Moda, Edidas, Nike, Puma and others,” Abu Walid, 55-year-old seller who has been working for 37 years in the Souk al-Itfayeh said.

“Those wealthy buyers come to the Souk to purchase these famous brands but they are worried that one of their relatives and neighbors will catch them buying used clothes and shoes,” Abu Walid said, while smoking and laughing.

 “The Syrian families come to the second-hand markets at the beginning of the winter and summer time to buy garments and shoes. The sellers prepare their goods of jackets, boots, hats, woolen jumpers and sweaters for the coming winter season,” Ahmed, 22-year-old seller in the Souk al-Itfayeh said.

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Reported by: Obaida Hamad- Inas Abdulkareem

Photos by: Obaida Hamad