• About Us
  • Readers Write
  • Our People
Carthage Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Food & Drinks
    • Taste Tunisia
  • People
    • Interviews
    • No Sugarcoating
    • Environment
  • Style & Travel
    • Attractions
    • Trip Planning
      • Travel Information
      • Hotels in Tunisia
      • Cost of Living
      • Tunisia’s Language
      • Tunisia’s Weather
      • Tunisia’s Currency
      • Tunisia’s Visa
    • Transport in Tunisia
      • Traveling Around
      • Local Transport
      • Flights to Tunisia
      • Ferries to Tunisia
      • Tunisia Overland
    • Things to Do
      • Leisure
  • Local History
    • Museums
    • Monuments
    • Heritage Sites
    • Historical Figures
  • Education
  • Tech & Startups
  • Editors’ Picks
People

Upcycling: From a Thrifting Addiction to a Trendy Business3 min read

By Contributing Editor May 3, 2023
Written by Contributing Editor May 3, 2023
Upcycling Tunisia

Article by: Lina Baklouti

Over the last previous years, the used-textile sector in Tunisia is growing so fast in terms of innovation and creativity.

Many Tunisians have launched businesses of used-textile in Tunisia as it is a land of opportunities for them, especially due to the economic and financial crisis that disallows the citizens to buy brand new clothes. Along with that, especially on the aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic, a surge in online purchases and recycling of clothes has emerged.

The reuse and enhancement of the old clothes, upcycling, came to light. It is the creative recovery of fabrics or clothes either personal or bought. By this technique, used clothes will be transformed into new collections that appeals to modern aesthetic fashion-ism and middleclass clothes buyers.

According to Rihab Boukhayatia, a Tunisian journalist and specialist in law, thrift shopping started in Tunisia after the Second World War as the economic state of Tunisia was in down terms. Therefore, the concept has been already rooted among the Tunisian citizens. Throughout the years, the thrift shoppers’ category has changed from lower to middle and upper class citizens. A survey done by Boukhayatia states that 94% of Tunisians are thrifting consumers.

Thrifting or, in Tunisian terms, “Frip” is a word borrowed from the French word “fripperie”. Used clothing has many advantages such as : affordable prices, of course, depending on the condition of the product and its initial value, original clothing and unique pieces such as vintage and brand name clothes ect.

Within the past few years, many fashion lovers and thrifting addicts launched online businesses to sell used clothes especially on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.

Those pages’ owners searches for second hand clothes from markets, then, creates the sketch, thus overturning the traditional process of creation and implementation that enhances the revisitation of used garments. Used textiles are first carefully sorted into a variety of items for children, men, and women, shoes, etc. Then, they’re sorted carefully according to a quality degree, fashion aspects and trends, clothing styles, colors, the needs and preferences of the customers, and market destinations.

It is undeniable that those businesses are taking off, especially when one checks the prices of the proposed items in those pages. Tunisian Instagrammers and Tiktokers are doing thrifting hauls, making this business quite “trendy”, and attracting all possible categories of buyers who are in search for originality.

One of the main pages that sell second-hand clothes are:

  • Poupouma
  • Good Tunisian
  • Lou vintage
  • Soukmachine
  • Paradis sur mer
  • Vintage Bae Studio
  • Phoenix’s Daughter
  • El mamou
  • Aubaine

I personally advise all of you to have a look at each of these pages, especially that each one of them, and more, commonly do many events such as “Christmas Market” in Blue café, Sidi Bou Said or “Love 2 Upcycle” in L’Agora café in el Marsa, Tunis.


Lina Baklouti is a student of English Literature, Civilization and Language in the Faculty of Human and Social science in Tunis (9 Avril). She is into acting and writing.


If you would like to comment on this article or anything else you have seen on Carthage Magazine, leave a comment below or head over to our Facebook page.

And if you liked this article, sign up for the monthly features newsletter. A handpicked selection of stories from Carthage Magazine, delivered to your inbox.

0 comment
1
FacebookTwitterEmail
Contributing Editor

Contributing Editor account at Carthage Magazine. Tunisia's premier English general-interest Magazine with thousands of page-views per month and over 200,000 social media followers.

previous post
Tunisia Seeks to Attract More Tourists, $4.5bln in Revenues
next post
Avionav Exports First Tunisian-Made Helicopter

Related Articles

10 Mind-Blowingly Interesting Facts About Djerba Island

May 14, 2023

Reflections on Ramadan in Tunisia: From Indonesians’ perspective

April 20, 2023

Bachata: A Spicy Tunisian Community Straps on Its...

April 3, 2023

10 Delicious Tunisian Dishes for Ramadan

March 23, 2023

Tunisia: Why the “Demographic Argument” is Racist &...

March 8, 2023

Hedi Nouira: The Architect of Tunisia’s Economic Renewal...

March 7, 2023

Tunisian Community Abroad Grows & Evolves

March 4, 2023

The Struggle for Tunisia’s Fragile Democracy

February 28, 2023

eL Seed: Tunisia’s Pioneering ‘Calligraffiti’ Artist

February 16, 2023

LinkedIn Surpasses 1.7m Members in Tunisia

February 15, 2023

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Flavors of Tunisia

Taste-Tunisia-Tunisian-Cuisine-3

Want more top stories?

Carthage Magazine Newsletter

Sign up today and you’ll get our latest stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Quizzes

Quiz: How Well Do You Know African Countries...

QUIZ: Think You’re a Know-It-All? Try Naming These...

Just For You

  • 1

    Life in Tunisia: What It’s Really Like — The Pros and Cons

    December 5, 2022
  • 2

    Alcohol in Tunisia: What Visitors Need to Know

    August 2, 2021
  • 3

    Mlewi: The Most Popular Tunisian Flatbread

    April 25, 2021
  • 4

    US Coffee Giant Starbucks Finally Opens Cafe in Tunisia

    November 22, 2019
  • 5

    Zarzis, Tunisia: An Out-Of-The-Ordinary Resort Town

    August 1, 2021

Latest

  • Remittances by Tunisians Abroad Reached 3bln Dinars

  • Tunisia Wins & Carries Hopes at 2023 FIFA U-20 WC in Argentina

  • Director Noureddine Boutar of Tunisia’s Mosaique FM Released

  • Journalists Protest in Tunis Over Press Freedom

Sections

  • Editors' Picks
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Food & Drinks
  • Local History
  • News
  • No Sugarcoating
  • People
  • Quizzes
  • Style & Travel
  • Tech & Startups
  • Things to Do
  • Videos

E᙭ᑭᒪOᖇE

Carthage Magazine

We’re on a mission to create content that inspires people about experiences, places, products and people in Tunisia!

 

— About Us

— Adverstising

— Transparency

— Contact Us

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube

ᗯᗩᑎT ᗰOᖇE TOᑭ ᔕTOᖇIEᔕ?

Carthage Magazine Newsletter

Sign up today and you’ll get our latest stories delivered straight to your inbox.

ᔕᑭᖇEᗩᗪ TᕼE ᗯOᖇᗪ

Spread the word

Our goal is to get these stories out in the public arena, and by doing this, keep promoting Tunisia and changing attitudes towards the MENA region.

 

— Ambassadors

— Readers Write

— What You Can Do to Help

EᗪITOᖇᔕ’ ᑭIᑕKᔕ

  • Ribat of Sousse 🗝 — An Impressive 8th-Century Fortress

    April 21, 2023
  • Reflections on Ramadan in Tunisia: From Indonesians’ perspective

    April 20, 2023
  • When Italians Boarded Death Boats to Tunisia

    April 17, 2023

© 2019 - 2023 Carthage Magazine. Privacy Policy

Carthage Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Food & Drinks
    • Taste Tunisia
  • People
    • Interviews
    • No Sugarcoating
    • Environment
  • Style & Travel
    • Attractions
    • Trip Planning
      • Travel Information
      • Hotels in Tunisia
      • Cost of Living
      • Tunisia’s Language
      • Tunisia’s Weather
      • Tunisia’s Currency
      • Tunisia’s Visa
    • Transport in Tunisia
      • Traveling Around
      • Local Transport
      • Flights to Tunisia
      • Ferries to Tunisia
      • Tunisia Overland
    • Things to Do
      • Leisure
  • Local History
    • Museums
    • Monuments
    • Heritage Sites
    • Historical Figures
  • Education
  • Tech & Startups
  • Editors’ Picks
Carthage Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Food & Drinks
    • Taste Tunisia
  • People
    • Interviews
    • No Sugarcoating
    • Environment
  • Style & Travel
    • Attractions
    • Trip Planning
      • Travel Information
      • Hotels in Tunisia
      • Cost of Living
      • Tunisia’s Language
      • Tunisia’s Weather
      • Tunisia’s Currency
      • Tunisia’s Visa
    • Transport in Tunisia
      • Traveling Around
      • Local Transport
      • Flights to Tunisia
      • Ferries to Tunisia
      • Tunisia Overland
    • Things to Do
      • Leisure
  • Local History
    • Museums
    • Monuments
    • Heritage Sites
    • Historical Figures
  • Education
  • Tech & Startups
  • Editors’ Picks
© 2019 - 2023 Carthage Magazine. Privacy Policy

Read alsox

The Washington Post View on Tunisia: A...

October 15, 2019

5 Struggles Tunisians with Big Families will...

November 16, 2019

10 Tunisian Road-Trip Snacks

March 16, 2020