Inside Quezon City’s ukay‑ukay scene that’s turning heads in fashion

Ukay-ukay shops in Quezon City are redefining how people shop for fashion. 

Ukay-ukay shops in Quezon City are turning secondhand fashion into a thriving business. For the price of a typical mall purchase, shoppers can walk away with a full outfit and the satisfaction of finding something truly unique. Aside from affordability, these stores thrive on smart sourcing, careful sorting, and a sharp eye for style to meet growing demand from younger consumers who see fashion as a form of self-expression.

Thrifting has become a thriving movement among younger consumers who treat fashion as a form of self-expression. With demand growing, these secondhand havens are thriving. But behind every perfectly curated pile and every surprise gem is a whole ecosystem of sourcing, sorting, and hustle.

Sourcing

Two of Cubao’s popular ukay-ukay shops welcomed radar Business to give a closer look at how the backbone of their business really works. 

Uncommon Trendy Apparel, a decade-old thrift store located near Farmers Plaza, has long been a go-to for everything from vintage tops and jackets to well-loved heels, stylish bags, and caps. 

Dan, the brand’s all-around staff of five years, their expansion to four branches—three within Cubao and one smaller store in Mandaluyong City–proves that Filipinos are still very much into thrifting. Their newest branch now occupies the former location of another popular ukay-ukay, Desebel, right next to their original store.

Dan said that their imports arrive on a monthly schedule, though delays sometimes happen when customs holds their boxes after hitting certain shipment limits. These hiccups aside, sourcing has become easier over the years as suppliers now come to them, not the other way around.

Dan explained that they prefer boxes over bales, the two common packaging formats in the thrift industry. Bales are tightly compressed bundles of clothing, while boxes are looser shipments, usually containing higher-quality items. Though bales are cheaper, the difference in quality is hard to ignore. 

Fashion Depot, another major ukay-ukay destination near Cubao Expo, opened in May this year. The brand first operated along EDSA for three years, until a fire forced them to relocate. 

Their new two-floor space now houses a wider mix of finds—from everyday wear to formal pieces like wedding gowns and cocktail dresses, plus baby clothes and even winter staples such as thick puffer jackets.

“Hindi naman kasi ibig sabihin na ukay, used talaga,” Lowela Lantaca, the shop’s supervisor, told radar Business. She explained that the quality of their items depends heavily on where each box comes from. Hong Kong suppliers, for example, often send mall pull-outs released during seasonal transitions. 

While Fashion Depot doesn’t follow a fixed new-arrival schedule, Lantaca said deliveries usually come once or twice a month.

Sorting and Pricing 

The items are generally grouped by new arrivals and sales. New arrivals set the initial price, which is gradually discounted over the following days. At Uncommon Trendy Apparel, each rack is clearly labeled with sale percentages, guided by a price list board to ensure consistency.

Dan explained that all pieces of the same clothing type share the same price, but they separate higher-quality or branded items into “selected items” category with slightly higher tags. The sorting process typically takes about a week.