Jakarta. An analyst recently said that there was still a huge demand for secondhand clothes amidst the government’s attempt to step up the crackdown on thrifting.

In 2022, Indonesia rolled out a trade ministry regulation that laid down the list of imported goods that could not enter its market. Secondhand clothing is on this list, but these pre-owned clothes are seeing a rise in popularity in Indonesia. Freshly minted Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa recently announced that the government would tighten the curbs on imported pre-owned clothes. Indonesia is also mulling imposing sanctions on the rulebreakers.

Public policy analyst Trubus Rahardiansyah recently said that it would be difficult for people to accept the changes as economic instability had made people to try to spend less on clothing.

“Our economic conditions prompt people to look for affordable fashion. Thrifting has become the rational decision to make” Trubus said. 

Before imposing any restriction, what the government should do is to convince people on why the import ban is necessary. “It has been ingrained in our people’s minds that they should pick something affordable but high-quality. These secondhand clothes are not only branded, but they are also high-quality. They are still in demand,” Trubus said.

Nothing Instant

The government has been encouraging secondhand clothing traders to sell products made by domestic micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). According to Trubus, this remains a pipeline dream, at least for now, as businesses need time to adapt. He added: “Enterpreneurs look for profit. If the profit margin from MSME products is too small, they will avoid it.”

He warned the curbs would not stop people from selling secondhand clothing, but they would insist on smuggling the goods, thereby leading to black markets. The possibility can be even higher if the oversight remains lackluster. The analyst underlined the need to propel the textile MSMEs’ production capacity, quality, and pricing. Government agencies and other stakeholders must also work together to keep a better eye on the secondhand clothing trade.

Digital Transformation at Ports and Blacklists

Calls are also mounting for better oversight at the customs and excise, mainly through the use of digital systems. Lawmaker Jiddan said that Indonesia could only fight the secondhand clothing “mafia” with two things: honesty and digital transformation. Fellow lawmaker Imas Aan Ubudiyah urged the government to blacklist the suppliers.

"If blacklisted suppliers still insist on sending goods to Indonesia, they must be severely sanctioned," Imas said.