4 Pandemic Trendy Products that Started Small Businesses

by: Rowena Joy Flores

One year has passed since the pandemic changed the way we engage in the economic market. Despite the challenges and the changes, life continues to move on. For some, the changes brought by the pandemic might have been an opportunity to extend their reach and broaden their horizons on the business venture.

Packed with their handy phones, cameras, and internet connection, many budding entrepreneurs made use of different social media platforms to promote products and start their own businesses online. Some of these entrepreneurs have started small online businesses with products that require little capital to no capital. Up until now, many of these small businesses are alive and thriving.

Here are some of the trendy products that launched the start-up careers of small online business owners in the Philippines amid the pandemic:

1. Pre-loved or “Ukay-ukay” clothes

Filipinos love clothes. As one auntie from my place put it in words “Kahit wala na gaanong pera o okasyon, bibili at bibili talaga ang mga Pinoy ng damit. (Even if they do not have much money or there is no special occasion, Pinoys will always buy clothes.)”

Coupled with their love for affordable prices, Pinoys’ penchant for “ukay-ukay” or pre-loved clothes is evident in the presence of multiple ukay-ukay stalls in different areas before the pandemic arrived. Now, pre-loved clothes are made available in different social media outlets like Facebook and Instagram. You can even find them on shopping websites like Lazada and Shopee. You can find pictures of these products from sellers, with their measurements either in the picture or in the caption below the picture. They can be dresses, tops, pants, shorts, skirts, or more. Depending on whichever you like, pre-loved clothes can keep you looking stylish and trendy whether you are out socializing or just walking down the home runway.

2. Scrunchies

Scrunchies have made a comeback in the midst of the pandemic, and they aren’t going away anytime soon. In fact, the Philippine News Agency featured a story about how one woman was able to help her family, and even other students, raise money by making scrunchies and outsourcing her products to student resellers.

Her story is a testament to the popularity of scrunchies. They are all over the internet, coming in different sizes, designs and colors. Some of the most popular scrunchies are made of silk, but they can also be made of cotton and faux leather. Another plus is that they can come in different packages that give them more “aesthetic” vibes. They make perfect gifts for girls who like to tie their hair up, especially in this hot summer season.

3. Baked goodies

Did anyone else become a home baker when quarantine started? Apparently many Filipinos turned to baking when the pandemic held us captive in our homes, and some of them started a small business out of their creations. In fact, ABS-CBN reported that the country saw a rise in online bakeries which help provide families with extra income.

Most sellers sell locally, promoting their goods on their personal social media platforms and in Facebook groups of their hometowns. From ube pandesal, macaroons, personalized cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and more, these baked goodies can satisfy daily cravings for comfort food.

4. Art crafts

When the lockdowns started I saw many posts on my Facebook wall saying that “People turned to art” when all the buzz of work, education, and popular entertainment came to a halt. People started making hobbies out of arts, and they found a way to monetize their crafts through the internet. Ever timeless, art never goes out of style.

Strewn all over platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Shopee, and Etsy are crafts made from resin, polymer clay, wood, yarn and more. They can be in the form of jewelry like earrings and necklaces, displays like vases and paintings, clothes like crocheted tops and hats, and also basic home necessities like combs and mirrors. Not only do they make your world more colorful, they can also make you happy just by being eye-pleasing.

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References:

News, Job Manahan, ABS-CBN. 2021. “Online Bakeries Boom in PH as Filipino Home Chefs Cope with Pandemic.” ABS-CBN News. April 3, 2021. https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/03/21/online-bakeries-boom-in-ph-as-filipino-home-chefs-cope-with-pandemic.

Parrocha, Azer. 2021. “Sewing Scrunchies Raises Money for Pandemic-Hit Family.” Www.pna.gov.ph. February 7, 2021. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1129900.