I always wanted to challenge myself on getting things that are currently on trend without breaking my bank. I did some research on the internet on where is the best place to go thrift shopping and I stumble upon Dar al Huriah which is located in Sharjah Industrial area. Actually, I didn’t see any blog write-up on how to do a proper thrift shopping nor guide on how to do it. So I guess, let me share you my experience.

Before doing some thrift shopping here are the things you need to know and prepare.

“Bring a lot of Patience” – Lester Ivan

Things to Do

What to bring.

1. Bring sanitizer and wet wipes for cleaning your hands and arms after.
2. Bottled water, hydrate when needed.
3. Bring a small towel for drying those sweats, it’s hot, humid, and tiring and you need to be fresh all the time.
4. Trolley (this is optional), if feel you’re extra or planning to get plenty.
5. Bring a lot of Patience. Trust me you need a lot. Digging and searching for that specific item is really tiring especially when you have to return all the unselected clothes back inside the box.

Things to do and to consider when thrift shopping:

1. Plan ahead on what pieces you need to find. Look for pieces that is hard to find in the shopping malls.
2. Set your budget and stick with it, because it helps you be on track and do not overspend.
3. Don’t set high expectations or else you’ll get heartbroken. It hot, dusty and slightly noisy.
4. Wear something light, comfortable, and breathable such shorts and t-shirts (for ladies wear leggings) as this helps you easily slide into jeans when trying them on. A lot of sitting, squatting and reaching happens when searching things inside the store.
5. Don’t get overwhelmed by the clothes in the store.
6. Check the display first as sometimes they have good items on display
7. Try to check the entire place, know all the sections and work your way in.
8. Be polite when asking help from the staff, as their job is not easy and it is very tiring.
9. Check the labels and materials used in the item. Normally I always buy 100% natural fabric such as Cotton, Linens, and Wools because these materials are really expensive at the mall. If I like the design I might consider things with polyester, nylon, and rayon too.
10. Put all the items that you like in one place or a plastic and later EDIT them out before paying. Trust me you’ll save an ample of time on this.
11. Don’t go alone, bring someone with you. It’s more fun when you have someone helping you out on sorting thing and help you carry your purchases and most of all “second opinion matters”.
12. Haggle (ask for discount) before paying. Yes, you can do it just by asking the cashier politely, if the discount didn’t work then ask for a free item there’s nothing wrong trying.

Pro Tip: If you’re working on a budget, try to weight your purchase first then do the editing after.

Edit (Editing): It’s a final selection process wherein you prioritize what you really need and what you really like.

Things to do after the purchase:

1. Sort your purchases according to the colors, white being the first and work your way till you reach the darkest item in the purchase.
2. Wash your purchases twice with hot water with detergent and fabric conditioner before throwing them in the washing machine for the final cleaning. Use laundry nets so that they will not get ruined in the process.
3. Do handwashing for delicate fabrics and carefully rinse them. Not laundry them in washing machine as they might get damaged in the process.
4. For denim use hot water, detergent and set them aside for 30-45 mins before washing them. This helps soothes the dust and grime from the fabrics and rinse them till the water in the sink turns clear.
5. Finally, take a shower and make sure you sanitized yourself too, You never know what you may have brought aside from the clothes you purchased.

FAQs for Thrift Shopping

Why do thrift shopping?

1. It helps you save a lot of money.
2. You can find trendy pieces at a very low price
3. You can get unique pieces that are not available in the malls.
4. If  you’re lucky you may find brands that are too expensive in the malls.
5. Rare finds & vintage pieces are mainly available as long as you know to dig in.

How much thrift shopping in Sharjah cost?

• it depends on which warehouse you are buying, but mostly the standard price is 20 AED per Kilo + 1 Aed for VAT.

Actually,  Sharjah offers the cheapest deals unlike here in Dubai which offers Per Piece while Sharjah offers Per Kilo. It’s like buying vegetables or meat in the market.

When is the best time to shop?

• it’s better to do it early morning because you will get the newly opened bundle, while in the late afternoon as the temperature drops.

Well, that’s all that I have based on my experience and I hope this guide can help you on overcome the Thrift Shopping/Ukay Ukay challenge. If I missed out something or you have extra tips kindly share with me. Happy thrift shopping 🙂

“There’s nothing wrong with thrift shopping. We’re just practical.” – The Metrosapien

Dar al Huriah Trading LLC
Mobile no: +971 50 646 1786