WHAT IS UKAY-UKAY?
WHAT IS UKAY-UKAY?
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Ukay-ukay refers to the secondhand market in the Philippines. It came from the Filipino word ‘halukay’ which means ‘to dig’ and is also synonymous with wagwagan, which came from the verb ‘wagwag’ – the act of dusting off. One word but interestingly versatile. Ukay-ukay could refer to the secondhand item, the act of buying it, and the place where you buy one. You could say “ukay lang ‘to”, “nag-ukay ako”, “sa ukay lang ‘to” and any Filipino would understand what you mean. For some, it’s an alternative market but, for others, it is their only option. But as the ukay-ukay culture grew predominant, even the rich have taken an interest. So, what is it with ukay-ukay that Filipinos from all walks of life makes it thrive?
Let’s explore the history of ukay-ukay and understand consumer motivation.
The beginning and rise of Ukay-ukay in the Philippines
According to Ma. Rina Locsin – in her research about Baguio’s ukay-ukay – it’s hard to pinpoint the exact beginning of the secondhand industry in the country. However, three factors led it to its thriving: donation, fundraising, and Hongkong OFWs.
After World War II, access to secondhand clothing grew within Southeast Asia. According to anthropologist Lynne Milgram, this coincides with the time the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) gave billion-dollar worth of donations to Asia around 1943 and 1949.
Fast forward to the 1980s, this continued to flourish as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country sold donations they received, supposedly for their needy members, as a fundraising activity.
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Filipino domestic helpers from Hongkong are also seen as crucial players of the ukay-ukay industry. There are two versions of how this came to be. The first pertains to how Filipina OFWs would buy old clothes for disposal while the second version points out that it was their personal belongings or Salvation Army thrift finds. Either way, these are shipped as balikbayan boxes and sold to Baguio.
In the Philippines, Baguio City is seen as the ground zero of the ukay-ukay business. Veronica Isla – in her investigation about secondhand consumer culture in the country – points out that Baguio City’s Session Road used to be the most-known hub of ukay-ukay in Luzon, although the trade still expands to other parts of the country. Eventually, sellers from Baguio branched out to areas within Metro Manila.
From here, ukay-ukay has found its way to the rest of the country and is now a national phenomenon.
Ukay-ukay to Filipinos of today
According to Isla, affordability is the main driver of ukay-ukay consumption, especially, majority of its consumers are those from the lower-income group. For Filipinos of this bracket, their circumstances necessitate the choice, but it also satisfies the desire to be fashionable at the least price. Abueg further explains that some resort to ukay-ukay because it’s homogeneous to mall quality. Luxury brands become affordable while ‘good finds’ yield thrill and satisfaction because it’s unique, affordable, and not mass-produced.
These motivations have most likely reached the middle class up to the bourgeoisie and encouraged them to join the patronization.
Today, almost all walks of life celebrate ukay-ukay. We even see social influencers produce content such as ‘ukay-ukay hauls’ or ‘ukay-ukay challenge’.
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The wagwagan culture has found its way to our social media. Instagram alone has witnessed a rise in online thrift shops where ukay-ukay items are presented more appealingly and resold with a tag higher than its buying price. Meanwhile, a new form of shopping has boomed inside Facebook called ‘live selling’. From the words themselves, it’s where a seller live streams to show off items for sale and any viewer who wants to buy an item can comment ‘mine’.
It’s an emerging business that has become a hit during the pandemic. Items for sale range from clothes, bags, and even bedsheets. Some are brand new but ukay-ukays or ‘preloved’ items are more common.
Live selling showed how both sellers and consumers adapted to the circumstances of the pandemic – a lot of people lost their jobs while everybody’s mobility had been reduced so shopping had to be brought to our feeds.
The existence of ukay-ukay, from the streets to our screens, proved how penetrating and prevalent it is in the Filipinos’ lives but there’s an underlying truth about this industry that leaves most of its consumers confused.
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