SLF Managing Director Admitted to the Worshipful Company of Curriers!

Deborah Taylor with the incoming Master of the Curriers Company, Ian Michel.
On Friday 22 September 2023, I was admitted as a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Curriers. The admittance took place at Tallow Chandlers Hall and was followed by a Michaelmas Court Dinner, where I also delivered the after dinner address.
The Curriers’ Company is one of the oldest livery companies, first established as a trade organisation in 1272 to protect the craft of currying – the art of cleaning, working, and finishing tanned hides to create leather. Alongside supporting the leather industry, today the modern Curriers’ Company also supports many charitable and contemporary activities, with a particular emphasis on the education and training of young people. Recent recipients of support have included Capel Manor College, the London College of Fashion, the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies at the University of Northampton, and The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Members of the Company also support with voluntary work where they give their time to practically support charities and good causes.
I am honoured and privileged to be a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Curriers and look forward to supporting the aims of the Company. Our goal at SLF is to assist the leather industry to ensure it remains a relevant and sustainable industry of the future, so by supporting the Curriers’ Company, I hope we can amplify the education, information and tools required to enable positive impacts across a wide remit.
Footwear Industry Articles
- Bergstan: Less affected on the plattelandNeither of those has had an effect on my business. I suppose it’s because my stores are more on the platteland. The only thing that has an effect on us is the economy. ...moreObituary: Zelton Wiskin – footwear agent (24/03/1958-24/01/2025) : A ‘well lubricated’ memoryZelton Wiskin, my friend.I'm sure you won't mind me sharing a fond memory of you with the shoe industry.In the good old days as shoe agents, we became good friends. You were taught by one of the best in the business (Aubrey). In those days we knew how to have fun and entertain our customers who became our friends.My best memory was when w ...moreWhat to do about Temu and Shein: SA’s apparel retailers look to government, and even Trump, to slow the floodIt’s quite funny, really.Seldom have so many South African apparel retailers been as united as they are in their opposition to twin international threats, ecommerce retailers Temu and Shein, while simultaneously, many of their own managements and staffs – and their families – are not-so-secret customers of those same ent ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- What’s the point of industry associations?Industry associations play a crucial role in the growth and development of businesses and professionals within specific sectors. These organisations bring together experience and knowledge to provide a collective voice, valuable resources, and networking opportunities that are beneficial for both individuals and companies.In the leather i ...moreTransforming the leather sector in EthiopiaA new leather processing programme, 42 new enterprises, 22 women's saving groups, and 2,876 young people with enhanced business development capacities—these are just some of the achievements within The Leather Initiative for Sustainable Employment Creation (LISEC).The three-and-a-half-year Leather Initiative for Sustainable Employme ...moreStudies in leather educationThe loss of much tradition-based training - such as the recent closure of ICLT – is a matter of concern, and can have serious effects that extend across the global leather sector. Nevertheless, there are two existing and updated studies available to help address these eventualities and minimise the impact of such closures.The first ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- AI solution shows truck drivers where to parkBerlin, Germany (02 September 2024) – Parking spaces are in short supply at rest stops along Germany’s highways. Truck drivers are required by law to observe certain rest periods, so when they cannot find parking, they often simply park off to the side of an entrance or exit or on the shoulder, all of which are very ...moreAutomatic image recognition to identify types of wood: Harnessing AI to fight global deforestationKaiserslautern, Germany (02 September 2024) – The new European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is intended to prevent goods marketed in the EU from contributing to the spread of deforestation. When a wood product is brought into the EU market, for example, there must be documentation of which types of wood were used to produce it, a ...moreMBA North members place in top 4 of every category in MBSA National Safety Competition – againMaster Builders Association North (MBA North) members have continued their multi-year winning streak by being placed in the top four of every category in the 2024 Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) National Safety Competition (NSC) – the flagship event for health and safety in the building industry.Gerhard Roets, Health and Safety ...more