One of my favourite things about living in Morocco is undoubtedly the ease of access to good quality, genuine vintage, pre-loved goods. Conscious of the fact that having access to second hand clothing is a necessity for many families and individuals in Morocco, rather than a deliberate fashion choice, the global rise in popularity for second hand fashion has not left Morocco untouched, as the market for clothing and other goods has grown significantly. A combination of both deliberate sustainable choices being made becoming more mainstream and nostalgia trends, such as the revsiting of Y2K aesthetic, has left thrift to become a conscious choice for many, particularly among the youth. Sometimes tagged as “Joutya Style”, joutya is the word in darija for markets where sellers sell second hand goods on tables or on the floor. The style combines oversized mismatched layers, 90s pieces and rare vintage pieces. Aside from fashion, other thrift sellers focus on offering vintage cameras, watches and vinyls.
Balancing Trend and Necessity
While I love seeing thrift culture celebrated and reimagined, I can’t help but feel a quiet concern about how this growing popularity affects those who have always relied on second-hand markets out of necessity rather than choice. As curated vintage becomes trendier, it risks pushing up prices in spaces that were once the most accessible. That said, Morocco’s second-hand ecosystem is vast and layered: from the 10 dirham tables at the local joutya to carefully sourced, high-end vintage pieces sold online. There’s still enough to go around but it’s important that there’s a collective effort to ensure it remains inclusive for all of our community to be able to access.
Thrift – but make it Moroccan
Moroccans are known for many things, but our craftsmanship, resourcefulness and style are central to the Moroccan identity. Thrifting as a culture embodies all of these qualities, with many resellers, makers and creatives combining thrift with craft and upcycling, redesigning and reworking preloved goods to create one of a kind unique pieces. Take for example these scrunchies below which are made by a tailor in the Rabat medina, he recycles offcuts from his tailoring projects and sells them for 5dh each.
The Digital Souk
As thrift culture permeates Gen Z and other subcultures we have been left with a plethora of variety of sellers online. Below are a list of my favourite thrift accounts:
My Favourite Thrift Places
Vintage et Creations put together a curated market of thrift sellers to Rabat a few times a year, located in Grand Hotel Rabat.
Let me know in the comments below your favourite places to thrift in Morocco!
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