Wufenpu Garment Wholesale Area Introduction
Where is the center of ready-made clothing wholesale in Taipei? Most people's first reaction would be "Wufenpu." Hundreds of wholesale shops are gathered near Songshan Railway Station. The name comes from the fact that during the Qing Dynasty, Wufenpu was the area where the plains indigenous people, the Pingpu tribe, lived. Later, five households—He, Zhou, Shen, Du, and Li—bought this piece of land from the Pingpu people and began to cultivate it, naming the area Wufenpu. The economic development of Taiwan over half a century, from poverty to working day and night towards wealth, mirrors the history of Wufenpu's development. People from central and southern Taiwan flock to Wufenpu to take the leftover scraps or unsold fabrics from exported ready-made clothing, and simply process and sew them into underwear, children's clothing, or rough work uniforms to be sold at roadside stands and retail stores, slowly building up the reputation of Wufenpu. Today, hundreds of clothing businesses are gathered here, sourcing goods from all over Taiwan and even importing from regions such as Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore. The inexpensive clothing attracts small vendors for wholesale and retail; with a wide variety of styles and trendy cuts, many young people also come here to shop and mix and match as they please, creating eye-catching fashion styles. When the desire to shop arises, but the budget is tight or one does not want a major hit to their wallet, the best place is Wufenpu. It's worth mentioning that haggling is also a common shopping phenomenon here, adding to the thrill of buying as customers negotiate prices with the shop owners!
