ISTT launches online courses for international market
Grahamstown, E. Cape, SA – This year, the International School of Tanning Technology will become just that – international – and our first 2 foreign customers have signed up before we launch.
All our courses have been redeveloped for online tuition.
Given the shock announcement last year that the University of Northampton will close its Institute of Creative Leather Technology (ICLT), formerly known as Nene College, in mid-2025, ISTT’s new format has made it a potential source of training courses for the international tanning industry.
ISTT was part of many discussions throughout 2024 on the global future of leather education and training, and it has been under pressure to get its courses online.
This is essentially a relaunch for ISTT.
Local student numbers dropped by 75% with the lockdown in 2020, and didn’t recover to previous levels afterwards. Many South African tanneries seem to rely on the expertise of chemical supply companies rather than investing in their own skills. Just as bad, many local students also seem to be uninterested in improving their skills.
This is really worrying for the future of the tanning industry in South Africa.
Our future is the world.
Footwear Industry Articles
- Knock out the knockoffs: Protecting your brand against imitationsCounterfeiting is no longer confined to imitation designer goods sold in back-alley markets. It has become a widespread and organised trade that threatens fair competition and the rights of legitimate businesses. At its simplest, counterfeiting means the deliberate manufacture and sale of goods calculated to resemble genuine branded produ ...moreMixed messages from Deckers Brands results
Goleta, California, USA (23 October 2025) – Hoka grew by 11.1% to US$634.1 million and Ugg grew by 10.1% to $759.6 million in Deckers Brands’ second fiscal quarter ended 30 September, the company announced.Sales of its ‘other brands’, now mainly Teva and Ahnu following the phase-out of its Koolaburra operations, de ...moreObituary: Miles O’Brien – Sportshoe, Jordan Shoes (08/02/1950-26/10/2025) Some See the Crescent, He Saw the Whole of the Moon
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Miles O’Brien went to Progress College in Rondebosch and studied marketing at Cape Technikon. His first job was at Standard Bank in Plumstead for a short period of time, then onto the City Tramways for 10 years.Sportshoe was owned by Benny Stoltzman (who also owned Vogue Shoes) who had the agency for A ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- TRUTH: A message to the anti-leather lobby: Cattle aren’t killed for their hides. Q.E.D.
Benedict Spinoza (1637-1677) had many great contributions to the field of philosophy, especially his book entitled Ethics. In that great book he talks about false and true ideas. He mentions that a true idea, specifically the truth of an idea that you hold in your head is a very powerful intellectual tool. He draws a distinction between i ...moreEU LEGISLATION UPDATE
There are a number of legal instruments working their way through the European Union’s (EU) parliament. Like many EU instruments, these statutory guides have a way of working their way into legislation that the rest of the world adopts. Like US legislation, especially the California Proposition 65 legal example, these laws sometimes ...moreBetter than last year, for sure, but tariff-hit Chinese furniture on its way hereCape Town, W. Cape, SA – Demand for upholstery leather this year is certainly better than last year. Thankfully there have been no further closures of large factories beyond the Grafton Everest factory some years back. The Bravo Group has restructured and seems to be slowly getting back on its feet thanks to a lot of the old guard b ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Updated safety footwear standards: No clarity after marathon meetingPretoria, Gauteng, SA – South African safety footwear manufacturers and importers will have to wait until 08 October to get answers from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) after a 3-hour, 30-minute Microsoft Teams ‘stakeholder meeting’ on 11September overran its timeslot – and that was afte ...moreNew approach integrates scrap PU back into safety footwear
Osnabruck, Germany – PU systems supplier Huntsman Corporation and safety footwear manufacturer Steitz Secura have developed a PU solution that can help improve the circularity of safety footwear. The DALTOPED® polyurethane midsole system can incorporate recycled content without compromising performance.PU plays a vital role ...moreSituational awareness has become a frontline imperative for first responders
Why traditional radios and CCTV are no longer enough in complex threat environments Global case studies showing measurable impact on response times, safety, and transparency How LTE, 5G, and AI enable continuous, multi layered intelligence for faster, more effective decisions The opportunity for South Africa to leapfrog legacy sy ...more
