Secondhand Clothing Market Booms in Kandahar Amid Economic Hardship

With the onset of severe winter cold and ongoing economic challenges, the market for secondhand or “lelami” clothing in Kandahar province has witnessed significant growth. These markets have now become one of the primary options for families unable to afford new clothes.

Several vendors in these markets report an increase in customers compared to the past, noting that most shoppers are families who, due to reduced income and unemployment, seek more affordable alternatives. According to them, secondhand clothes at lower prices partially meet the urgent needs of people to cope with the winter cold.

Residents of Kandahar also confirm that their economic situation has forced them to forego buying new clothes. Some say that rising poverty and lack of job opportunities, especially after the Taliban’s takeover, have increased the pressures of life and narrowed their choices.

Meanwhile, the absence of effective support programs and the declining purchasing power of citizens have turned the secondhand clothing markets into a clear symbol of the livelihood crisis faced by the people of Kandahar. This situation has further intensified criticism of the Taliban administration’s handling of the economic crisis.