Is Karachi’s ‘Landa’ scene still worth the hype?

Is Karachi’s ‘Landa’ scene still worth the hype? We went frugal to find out! When we set out to explore the city’s retail stores this week, our goal was simple: curate four search statements for under a few thousand rupees each.

We wanted to see what the city’s ‘favorite’ clothing scene looked like now that social media is full of influencers showing off affordable clothes tagged #sustainablefashion. But before we even started styling, one thing was impossible to ignore: the new ‘Landa’ tax.

The Sindh government’s new tax of Rs 200 on second-hand imported clothes has doubled what buyers were used to paying. “It used to be 100, now it’s 200,” said a salesman at Clifton’s Playhouse, shrugging as he folded a stack of jackets. “I know about the tax, but these things take time to catch up.”

The markets reflect the same: full of people rummaging through piles of clothes, haggling over coats, boots and vintage blouses as if nothing had changed. Other shopkeepers explained that the tax affects wholesalers more than individual sellers.

“Our supplier is in Landhi,” said a vendor. “The staples are in Shershah, Bin Qasim Zone, Pushtoon Market in Orangi Town and Landhi. We repeat a few times a year depending on the season,” he added.

The salesman went on to explain that the best pieces rarely make it to the open counters. “The exclusive buyers come first. They pick all the good stuff for their web pages and then sell it for double the price.”

In Budh [Wednesday] Bazaar, a seller shared that his stock is from Bolton Market. “Some of them are brand new and come from China,” he said. For him, the economy is accessibility. “People love ‘Landay ka maal’ because it’s affordable, stylish and gives them access to good quality clothes without spending a fortune.”

While the government’s policy aims to promote domestic textile production, what we saw in the markets told a different story. Thrifting has long since evolved into a comprehensive culture driven by creativity and ingenuity.

The markets are full of young people experimenting with style, resellers building businesses on Instagram, and families looking for affordable seasonal clothing. “People are still haggling,” said one vendor with a smile. “But our prices are already low enough and we keep a margin.”

At a nearby perfume counter, a woman’s voice rose above the din. “You have two of those!” she said to her young son. “But it’s so cheap!” he exclaimed. This brief exchange captured the whole mood of Karachi’s thrift markets, a mixture of surprise, excitement and small victories found among racks of forgotten clothes.

Here are the four looks we came up with:

The office look: elegant and corporate

We started with something professional: a white blouse under a black waistcoat paired with straight gray trousers, all under Rs 2,000. “People buy them to start online businesses,” the shopkeeper told us, arranging the look for us. We also picked a white turtleneck sweater and a brown textured midi skirt for those days when you have to dress up. With a little style, these affordable outfits easily matched the polish of a name brand.

The winter look: cozy layers, Karachi style

Next came a gray knit sweater and gray washed jeans for Rs 2,500. Karachi winters may not be harsh, but layering is still a style statement. A clean white button down is your best friend for this because it can be layered with a variety of cropped sweaters.

The Y2K look: modern, playful and affordable

For the Y2K inspired look, we chose a green criss-cross top and cargo midi skirt for Rs 2,000. When we told a salesman we were working on a story, he smiled knowingly. “Most people your age come here to buy for resale. They post the same clothes online and they sell quickly.” For Karachi’s younger crowd, thrift is both a creative outlet and a small business opportunity.

The casual look: everyday comfort with a pop of color

Our last outfit was perfect for college days and coffee shops, a comfortable floral skirt, a white lace sweater and kola pooris for a fusion look under Rs 3,000. We added some pendants from a nearby bench to complete the look. It was relaxed, comfortable and full of personality.