As was the custom every year with the approach of Eid al-Fitr, citizens and some residents flock to tailors to get the new Eid dishdasha, which is an annual tradition for which people are accustomed to in Kuwait but this year has been different. According to a local Arabic daily, tailors were unable to cope up with the rush because of shortage of tailors which is linked to several factors.
The sources said the prices of stitching have remained the same contrary to what some people claim but depends on the type of dishdasha and the fabric. One of the oldest tailors in the market, who identified himself as Abu Saif, explained that the reason for the crowding is the big number of requests before the Eid, and the limited numbers of workers, since the capacity of his shop is to ready between 30 and 35 dishdashas per day, and as a result cannot receive new orders.
Another tailor Abu Muhammad said the tailors in his shop work about 14 hours a day during Ramadan to be able to complete about 30 dishdashas only, indicating that the greatest demand is for Japanese fabrics, including and the big demand is for two types Tiobo and Chicobo.
All the tailors the daily spoke to complained of shortage of tailors and added the price cause was the new residence law because of which many tailors 60 years and above has left for good. According to the law the Public Authority for Manpower has set a fee of 250 dinars for residence renewal and 500 dinars for private health insurance, which many cannot afford and are forced to leave the country.
