According to traders of used underwear at Tema station in Accra, there is nothing wrong with the use of used underwear as far as you wash it and is clean.
“Why not, you can wear it. The quality of these undies is not common, and is cheaper too”, A trader said.
As I posed as a customer who wants to buy some of these undies for a girlfriend at her request, the trader trying hard to convince me buy her used undies said “these ones are very quality as compared to the brand new one, they are not 100 per cent quality, they are just nice, it doesn’t last”
When I raised issues of health concerns, she sharply replied “I have been doing this business for some time now, if not more than 25years, none of my customers complained of getting any disease from wearing these undies.”
Some customers who picked a number of items such as panties, a bra and a swimsuit were suspicious as they asked “which girl will send you to buy a panty for her”
I uncomfortably ignored as I continued to negotiated the prices of some of the undies I picked.
Surprisingly, the trader sold some of the panties to me at 3 cedis while convincing me to buy more.
What is interesting to note is that while most of the ladies who trooped in to buy did not stand as I did, many just walked in, sat under the umbrella, chit chat with the trader while their packages were given to them.
I curiously asked one lady who sounded very fluent as opposed to others who came there as to whether it is hygienic to wear the used undies. Her response was “these are pure cotton materials, it is very difficult to get same quality in stores, even if you get, the prices are unreasonably high.”
I intentionally moved to another trader whose goods were nearly hanged on display to woe potential buyers picked some panties and asked for the prices, she quoted between 3 cedis to 5 cedis negotiable.
I confess to her how my girlfriend wanted their ‘quality undies’ while I prefer the brand-new ones, she replied “she is using it, she knows what is good so buy for her.”
I continued to raise issues with health, she angrily replied “please if you won’t buy, leave it, who told you when you use these undies you will get any disease, I am wearing the same thing, I have been wearing for years.”
A Customer interfered and in an attempt to influence me said “sometimes these undies are not even used, they are just store rejected. “
I shamefully left the scene without returning to the first trader I agreed to buy some of these used under wears.
