Job Discussion Forums

chitownesl · Joined: 29 May 2004 Posts: 23

i heard that the japanese will pay good cash for used jeans. so, i was thinking of bringing a bunch over. can anyone confirm this to be true?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

There are already plenty of US jeans being sold in regular stores here. Don't expect to hawk any of your wares. Besides, how are you going to explain that to customs if they open your luggage and discover a bundle of jeans?

chitownesl · Joined: 29 May 2004 Posts: 23

plenty of over priced used jeans are sold at these thrift stores is what i've heard. would probably seem more authentic being sold from an american. i'm sure i'll bring only enough jeans not to raise suspicion from customs. but i heard these jeans got for about $100 a pair.

lajzar · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Posts: 647 Location: Saitama-ken, Japan

What was it the good professor Barnum said again? Rolling Eyes

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

10 years ago there was a market for this, but it's gone now. As recently as 5 years ago you could still get a lot of money for unique clothes like your high school varsity lettermans jacket. Now however, things American are no longer cool. Although recently I've seen a lot of US Army clothing on girls. Maybe you can find your niche there.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Thrift stores? Where did you hear that? Plenty of good department stores sell them! And, there are a few American stores here, too (like Eddie Bauer). Prices are not what you've heard. Trust people who live here.

Just how did you plan to distribute these? Lay them in front of a train station or on the sidewalk or in the park? In many places, you'll need a license to do that. And, just how many were you actually thinking of bringing? Again, customs will be quite suspicious if they ever open your bags at random and see it stuffed with jeans.

king kakipi · Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 353 Location: Australia

Whilst I am not up on recycled denim fashions Wink

I can tell you, you will make almost NOTHING by going to a thrift store. They pay by the kilo, and the top price is abut 150Yen (I don`t `do` US$) for one kilo eg my Japanese wife was going to throw out about 18 dresses, jeans etc as there seems to be no market amongst the Japanese here to sell s/h clothes privately. We trudged about abut 2kms to thr thrift store; got paid their `top` kilo price (these were good quality clothes) and walked out with 342 yen. I reckon we wore out about 350 yen`s worth of our shoe soles...................................................................but my wife was happy (but then she would be, wouldn`t she; she has me as a husband Razz

)

easyasabc · Joined: 13 Jul 2003 Posts: 179 Location: Japan

I've actually seen a pair selling for 78,000 yen in a second hand clothes store in Hiroshima!!! Yes really! It was so ridiculous I took a picture of it(anyone want to see it??).

In that shop there were pairs ranging from about 20,000 to the ridiculously priced 78,000.
BUT - that is not the norm. God only knows what kind of idiot would buy them.

Apparently the reason they are expensive is because they are thought of as "vintage" or something equally stupid. There are certain years and certain kinds of Levis that are suposedly worth more to the butcases that buy them.

Sheep-Goats · Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 527

If it makes anyone feel any better, there are places in America where a vintage pair of Levis will sell for 150 USD no problem. And not just New York, I saw a shop like that in Portland, Oregon.

But vintage actually means vintage in that case: like, original 1950s jeans.