This is the concluding part of my research work based on an interesting topic "The use of secondhand clothing in Nigeria". I believe you all must have gained a few things from here. Thank you for your all-time support and encouragement. I promise to keep serving you the best. If you missed the first and second parts of this series, you can find part one here 👉🏽THE USE OF SECONDHAND CLOTHING IN NIGERIA👈🏽 and part two here 👉🏽THE REASONS AND BENEFITS OF USING SECONDHAND CLOTHING👈🏽

PART THREE

There is no doubt that the quality and cost of secondhand clothing is of a great difference compared to the new clothes/apparel made by local producers. However, there are some dangers connected to the use of secondhand items in general.

Most of these secondhand items are used by unknown persons which makes it difficult to determine the reasons for resale or discarding the particular item. It is possible that the secondhand items are damaged in any part. Or the previous owner/user of the clothing items is a carrier of one disease or the other.

Pixabay- Angelsover

Clothes are worn mainly to cover human nakedness which makes them have the closest and direct connection to the human body. Many of the secondhand clothing items are washed and recycled before they are offered for sale but it is very uncertain to be able to confirm the complete cleanliness of the clothing items.

Furthermore, other dangers attached to the use of secondhand clothing apart from health risk is the reliability of the clothing items. Secondhand clothing could be unreliable if purchased as worn out or overused by the previous owner thereby causing it to get deteriorated sooner.

Another major challenge of purchasing secondhand clothing is the time it takes to find your choice in terms of style and size of clothes in the store/market.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO NOTE WHEN PURCHASING SECONDHAND CLOTHING

There are obviously so many benefits one can get from purchasing secondhand clothing but one should never forget the underlying risk that could come with it. Fortunately, there are ways to control and prevent the dangers that are attached to the acquisition of secondhand clothing.

Pexels- Artem Beliaikin

However, there are some secondhand clothing items you should never think of purchasing. These include panties, swimwear, tights, brassieres, and other underwear. But, If you must purchase them, make sure you check for the tag and confirm that they are still new and have never been used before.

Clothing items purchased must be thoroughly washed. The safest way of washing secondhand clothing is by first soaking in hot water with detergent. This will help kill whatever organisms that could still be surviving in the clothes.

Pexels- Artem Beliaikin

It is a tough job to shop for secondhand clothing. Don't be too hasty. Watch for damages or stains on the clothes and check items thoroughly before purchasing. One person's junk is another's treasure. Enjoy the treasure hunt and keep all the safety precautions in mind.