Clothing prices increase 300% as Syrian war continues

Shopping is no longer among the priorities for Syrian families in Damascus due to the rapid and drastic increase in the prices of clothes as a result of factories’ closure and the inflation which ate the Syrian Pound.
Damascus shops lie empty and people only pass by them to take a look at the products, especially after the prices rate reached between 200% to 300% over the past two years.
People believe that there is some sort of attrition to their pockets in the clothing markets and that made most of them reluctant to purchase anything, while merchants and sellers find all the excuses to justify this surge in prices.
No censorship of any kind is applied by the regime on prices of clothes or other food products and goods in the market, while the unsellable products end up in stores and warehouses to be sold next year and so on.
The prices of clothes increased greatly especially last year , for example the price of a man sweater reached SYP 4000 while its real price doesn’t exceed SYP 1500, and a pair of trousers is worth SYP 3000 while its actual price is between SYP 900 to 1100 , according to a Syrian citizen “ Abu Ammar”.
since the price of two items is nearly half his salary which is no more than SYP 20,000, Abu Ammar decided like many Syrians to ignore himself and his wife’s needs to buy only what is important for his two children. He said.
Suffering with the prices of women's clothing is not much easier, Mariam who is an employee and a house wife pointed out to the soaring prices which reached imaginary numbers, expressing her surprise that the price of a women's winter Pyjamas is between SYP 5000 to 7000, which is too high compared to the average income of a Syrian citizen.
The price of an imported pair of jeans is SYP 10,000 while it’s nearly worth 6000 if it’s made domestically, and in both cases it has become out of her reach putting into consideration that her monthly salary does not exceed SYP 12,000. She said.
As for women sweaters, their prices also vary, whether imported or domestic, so the imported sweater is sold for SYP 6000, while the one made locally ranges between SYP 3000 to 4000. She added.
The prices of clothes reached illogical levels, and the dollar excuse is no longer convincing the Syrian citizen today, since the dollar rises and falls, while the prices of various goods keeps rising. Mariam concluded.

Rana a mother of two described how the prices of babies’ clothes in Damascus are skyrocketing and exceeding any other clothes, despite needing far less fabric than adults’ clothes.
A wool sweater for a two year old child is worth SYP 3500, while the price of a pair of trousers is 2000, and a baby romper suits is SYP 2000 which previously was worth SYP 600. She said
The clothes’ discounts seen today in Damascus markets are just big lies that Syrians are paying for, because prices are still high and beyond their purchase capacity, and for traders and shopkeepers, the excuse is always ready (the dollar rise) despite the other reasons which made them increase their prices this way. She added
The owner of a small sewing workshop in Damascus referred to the significant rise in the price of fabrics and yarns in addition to the high wages of labor, which made the price of clothing rises to a certain extent, however, he revealed that some traders put the prices they want on products under the excuse of “high cost of living”.
In the opinion of an opponent economist, there are for sure costs that are borne by local manufactures like fabric prices, transportation, and other excuses that are well known to the Syrian citizen; however that doesn’t lead to soaring prices reaching 300% as is the case in today's markets.
The main reason of prices chaos is that government’s officials acknowledge yet continue to ignore and disregard this issue. He said.
The expert revealed his concerns toward products monopoly whether on locally manufactured or imported goods by some traders, who are mostly regime’s men and that what justify their domination to prices in the market.
As for the imported clothes, the regime’s government is still claiming their inability to control the manipulated prices; consequently importers put the prices they want under “the rising dollar” excuse.
The illogical profits achieved by the dealer of imported clothes existed before the beginning of the economic crisis in Syria due to the profit-sharing agreements between the importer and government’s officials, which leaves the Syrian citizen as the weakest link in this equation.  This post first appeared at Eqtsad, ZamanAlwasl’s sister newspaper; translation by Dani Murad