Wufenpu - Garment Street Introduction
Where is the center of clothing wholesale in Taipei? Most people's first thought would be "Wufenpu." There are hundreds of wholesale shops located near Songshan Railway Station. The name comes from the Qing Dynasty when Wufenpu was the area where the Pingpu people, an indigenous group in Taiwan, lived. Later, five families—He, Zhou, Shen, Du, and Li—purchased this land from the Pingpu people, opened it up, and named the area Wufenpu. Over the past half-century, Taiwan's economic development has transformed from poverty to wealth, much like the development history of Wufenpu. People from central and southern Taiwan migrated north to seek a living in Wufenpu, gathering leftover or unsold fabrics from export garments, which were simply processed into underwear, children's clothing, or rough workwear for sale at roadside stalls and retail shops, gradually raising the profile of Wufenpu. Today, hundreds of clothing vendors are gathered here, sourcing their goods from all over Taiwan and even importing from places like Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore. The low-priced apparel attracts small vendors to wholesale and retail, and due to the variety of styles and trendy cuts, many young people come here to shop, mixing and matching to create eye-catching fashion styles. When the desire to shop arises but the budget is tight or there's a reluctance to spend too much, Wufenpu is the best place to go. It's also worth mentioning that haggling is a common shopping phenomenon here, adding to the thrill of purchasing as customers engage in price negotiations with shop owners!
