Wufenpu - Garment District Introduction
The center of garment wholesale in Taipei is undoubtedly "Wufenpu." Several hundred wholesale shops are concentrated around Songshan Railway Station. The name comes from the Qing Dynasty, when Wufenpu was the area where the Plains Indigenous Peoples of Taiwan lived. Later, five families—He, Zhou, Shen, Du, and Li—purchased this land from the Plains Indigenous Peoples for cultivation and named the area Wufenpu. The economic development of Taiwan over the past half-century has transitioned from poverty to the bustling wealth experienced today, mirroring the development history of Wufenpu itself. People from central and southern Taiwan flock to Wufenpu seeking work, gathering the leftover scraps or unsold fabrics from exports to produce simple garments such as underwear, children's clothes, or rough work outfits, which are sold at street stalls and retail shops, thus establishing Wufenpu's reputation. Today, hundreds of garment businesses gather here, sourcing products from all over Taiwan, and even importing goods from regions such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, and Singapore. The affordable clothing attracts small wholesalers and retailers, and with a wide variety of styles and trendy cuts, many young shoppers come here to hunt for bargains and mix and match to create eye-catching fashion styles. When the urge to shop arises, but the budget is tight or one does not want to spend excessively, Wufenpu is the ideal place to go. It’s also worth mentioning that haggling is a common shopping phenomenon here, adding to the thrill of purchasing as shoppers negotiate prices with the shop owners!
