Handbag course: Adding the polish to encourage exports

Durban, KZN, SA – The South African handbag manufacturing industry holds significant export potential, “yet it currently receives relatively little intervention”, in the view of SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) director Nerisha Jairaj.

“Over the past few years, I’ve realised that our handbags are particularly suited to export. It’s a sector that shows excellent innovation. Historically, our handbag stats have reflected double digit increases in export, and there are manufacturers who are already world class and are exporting.

“For the others, a gap that was identified was that the finer details in respect of quality, diversity, and methodology were lacking. This, when addressed, could further increase the exports of this segment.”

At the beginning…listening to a lecture by Arsutoria presenter Matteo Bastiani.

Angela Attwood-Smith (Bresan Footwear), Julie Jarret (Rigsby), Jabu Dlamini (Amazizi Leather).

That was the rationale behind the 2-week handbag making course in Durban from 11-22 August, run by a leathercrafting expert from Arsutoria, Italy.

It followed 3 handbag CAD courses run by SAFLEC and eThekwini Footwear & Leather Cluster (EFLC), who commissioned Studio Eclectica’s Russell Addinall to run them.

Colleen Chappe (Azula).

This was an EFLC project, managed by SAFLEC, and held at the Durban Textile & Leather Incubator (DTLI) premises. “We would have liked to run it in a factory,” she said, “but that would have been difficult as it would have meant halting production to accommodate the workshop. The DTLI has the space, and it also has some sewing machines and other equipment.

“The course also had broad sponsorship: Aside from the EFLC and SAFLEC, we had DTLI, FQ Manufactures, Fusion Leather, Everflex, Royal Adhesives, Bresan Footwear, Labora via DTLI, and Corvari Footwear, who all came together to make these historical workshops possible.”

EFLC managed by SAFLEC was the overall organiser and Addinall oversaw the technical side.

There were 16 people on the course, from handbag/footwear companies, and from the DTLI’s student programme.