Why Used Clothes Are Called Okrika, and How to Remove the Smell

5 min readUpdated 28 October 2026

Okrika, also called bend down select and, in much of the north, gwanjo, is how a lot of Nigerians buy clothes. A good find can be a branded jacket or a solid pair of jeans for a fraction of the price of new. There is nothing to be ashamed of in that. It is smart shopping.

This guide explains where the name okrika comes from, how the clothes reach Nigerian markets, why they so often carry that familiar smell, and how to wash it out at home without damaging the fabric.

Where the name for okrika clothes comes from

The most common explanation for the name okrika clothes is that, around the time of independence, used clothes from Europe came into Nigeria through Okrika, which was then a key entry point for them, and were first traded there.

Okrika is an Ijaw town on an island just south of Port Harcourt, in Rivers State. The most common explanation for the name is that around the time of independence, used clothes from Europe came into Nigeria through Okrika, which was then a key entry point for them, and were first traded there. Buyers started calling the clothes after the place, and the name spread across the country.

A slightly different version says the people of Okrika were among the first big buyers of the clothes. Either way, the story rests mostly on traders’ accounts, not written records, and some people from Okrika reject any link between their town and second-hand clothing. What is clear is that the name stuck.

How used clothes reach Nigerian markets

Second-hand clothing is on Nigeria’s import prohibition list, and the Nigeria Customs Service regularly seizes bales.

Most okrika starts as clothes that people in Europe, North America and parts of Asia no longer want. They give them to charity shops and clothing banks or sell them to collectors. Charities sell on much of what they cannot use, and textile merchants sort it by type and quality, then press it into tight bales for export. Sorted bales commonly weigh around 50 kg.

In Nigeria, wholesalers buy the bales and sell them on to retailers, who open them and sort the contents again. The first pick from a freshly opened bale usually costs more, and prices fall as the best pieces go.

There is a twist. Second-hand clothing is on Nigeria’s import prohibition list, and the Nigeria Customs Service regularly seizes bales. Reports have long described bales landing in neighbouring countries such as Benin and Togo and crossing into Nigeria by road. Even so, okrika is sold openly in markets across the country.

Why okrika clothes have that smell

Anyone who has opened a bale or walked through an okrika section knows the smell. There is no single cause, but a few things usually combine:

• Long storage. Clothes can spend weeks or months packed tight in bales, containers and warehouses, often in heat and humidity. Trapped moisture lets mildew grow, which gives a musty smell.
• The previous owner. Traces of sweat, perfume, detergent, fabric softener or smoke stay in the fibres, especially in synthetic fabrics.
• Treatment chemicals. Some bales are fumigated or disinfected before shipping to deal with insects and germs, which can add a chemical note.

Spraying perfume over it does not help. It only covers the smell for a while, and the mix is often worse. Washing is the fix, and it is also the safest habit, because you do not know where the clothes have been.

The vinegar wash that removes the smell

White vinegar is cheap, easy to find and good at lifting musty and body odours. This method works for most cotton, denim and polyester clothes.

1. Fill a basin. Use warm water, enough to cover the clothes.
2. Add the vinegar. Half a cup to one cup of white vinegar, depending on the size of the basin.
3. Soak. Leave the clothes in for 30 to 60 minutes.
4. Wash. Wash as normal with detergent, then rinse well.
5. Dry in the sun. Hang everything in direct sunlight until it is completely dry.

If the smell is still there after drying, repeat the soak. Heavy jackets and thick jumpers sometimes need two or three rounds before they come out fresh.

Washing tips that protect your clothes

• Check the label first. Wool, silk, leather and anything marked “dry clean only” should not go into a long, warm soak. Use cool water and a shorter soak, or take the item to a dry cleaner.
• Separate whites and colours. Older dyes can still run, so soak and wash whites, light colours and darks apart, at least the first time.
• Never mix bleach and vinegar. Together they release chlorine gas, which is dangerous to breathe. If a white item needs bleach, rinse the vinegar out fully and bleach it in a separate wash, and only if the label allows it.
• Use the sun. Sunlight and fresh air clear what washing leaves behind. Turn dark clothes inside out so they do not fade. In the dry harmattan season, clothes dry fast, which makes it a good time for a big wash.
• Dry completely before storing. Folding clothes while they are still damp brings the musty smell straight back.
• Keep new finds apart. Store okrika away from the rest of your wardrobe until it has been washed.

Check before you buy, wash before you wear

Before you pay, look at the armpits, collar and cuffs for stains, test the zips and buttons, and check the seams for small holes. A smell on its own is not a reason to walk away, since washing usually removes it, but stains and damage often stay.

Then wash every piece before it touches your skin. Bought carefully and washed properly, okrika stretches your clothing money a long way, which helps a lot if you are trying to budget on a Nigerian salary.