Textiles and Tailors

Up until about ten years ago, most of the clothes people wore were made exclusively for them by tailors. In bazar, there are huge fabric shops with every kind of fabric imaginable. A lot of the fabric sold here is for Kurdish clothes, which many people still wear daily in the villages, unlike in the city where people only wear them to parties or other special occasions. The textiles for Kurdish clothes are often shiny, sparkly, bright, and colorful.

Tailors used to sew clothing for very cheaply. You would buy two or 3 yards of fabric for a dress for about $8, then the tailor would sew it up for you with your own sizes for about $5. Things are are about double that price now, but its still doable.

Most people nowadays, however, buy their clothes already made. Most of the clothing here comes from China or Turkey. Businessmen come up with designs they know people will wear, fly over to China to meet with partners, then get factories to make these clothes. Clothes are cheaper here than the U.S. but the quality is not as good. You can get a pair of jeans for $10 in most places, a shirt for $7 or so.

The new malls here have made deals with certain apparel companies, like Nike, and have now set up shop here. The sell their items for about the same price as in the U.S.

Kurdish clothes fabric:

Normal clothes fabric:

I never thought I'd se this here, desi clothes at the thrift area in bazar:

Our tailors shop: