Tadias Addis: What became to Dr. Nardos Adugna, who went missing? Interview with Dr. Nardos’s husband. Similar issues are experienced by other Habesha clothing vendors in Shiro Meda. Some people, like Biruk, a worker at Kiyab Habesha dress business, think that Chinese knockoff dresses are not as popular as handcrafted traditional outfits, but at first, the market was affected by them. Since individuals are now aware that fake clothes are inferior to real ones, the market isn’t as negatively impacted. Customers may still find it confused, though, as Chinese businesses are improving their products and making more similar ones.
Aynalem and Betty, Biruk’s neighbours who work at the clothing store next door, Aden Traditional Clothes, think that the Chinese gowns have seriously harmed the market due to the price disparity and the fact that some consumers are unaware of the differences between the two. As opposed to the original, handcrafted habesha gowns, Chinese manufacturers replicate the style and produce it in factories using cheaper materials than cotton. They do not use waterproof, hypoallergenic, or even pleasant materials like cotton does. According to individuals in the industry, the quality and material utilised to make the dresses differ between the two. A genuine Habesha dress can cost upwards of 3,000 Birr, whereas a replica can be purchased for as little as 1000 Birr.
