Footwear - Leather - PPE Industry News & Articles
- Hides, skins and semi-processed leathers : Starting with a positive mindsetHow has the closure of Midland Tannery affected your business? The tannery operated in very different markets to ourselves; as such there haven't been any significant effects.Do you expect domestic demand for wet blue hides to grow or drop this year? We always hope to see growth in the local market, it’s a key part of our business; ...morePush back against University of Northampton’s plan to scrap leather education : Meeting planned for 24 JanuaryKettering, UK – As you are probably aware the future of leather education in the UK and globally is under severe threat with the recent announcement by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Northampton of her intention to close the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies (ICLT) – see letter below that we received at SAT ...moreNON-FOSSIL DYESA dyestuff is usually an organic molecule that absorbs light and then emits that light at a frequency that is detectable to the human eye. In other words, it emits light in the visual light spectrum - this is why people say they are coloured. Technically, a dyestuff can be uncoloured, and it is called coloured because it emits light in th ...moreSynthetic wigs, weaves and extensions given new life in KenyaKenyan entrepreneur, tanner and industrial chemist Newton Owino, who founded and owns fish skin tannery and footwear/ leather goods manufacturer Alisam Products Development & Design, has been working on a project to recycle synthetic hair extensions and wigs. ...moreHe had the vision to start local production, and expand into Africa : Obituary: Dietmar Theilig - Boehme Africa (now DyStar Africa) (12/05/1938-30/11/2023)Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA – It is with sadness that we learnt of the passing of Dietmar Theilig, the former Managing Director of Boehme Africa.I met Dietmar 35 years ago when I was headhunted and appointed as a leather technician. At the time, Boehme Africa was a major role player in the textile and leather industries in Southern Af ...moreShort summary on the life history of Gerhard Dietmar Theilig : Obituary: Dietmar Theilig - Boehme Africa (now DyStar Africa) (12/05/1938-30/11/2023)Born 12th May 1938 in Leipzig-Moeckern. Confirmed on 10.05 1952 at Pfarramt Der Luthergemeinde, Crimmitschau. He had 1 sister, Ursula, who was 7 years younger than himself.His father was in the textile trade and supplied the wool fabric for the army winter coats, and they lived at the army barracks in Leipzig.His father was accused of ind ...moreSA hides, skins, and leather trade statistics for November 2023Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (29 December 2023) – Source: SARS.Including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN)Cumulative tradeTrade balance R'm (557 867 005)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.88Monthly tradeTrade balance R'm (91 683 982)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.82ExportsMonth % of total 0.23Cumulative 2022 (R'm) 3 794  ...moreA+A: As expected, digitalisation and sustainability – and fashion – were main focusesDüsseldorf, Germany – A+A, which takes place every 2 years, is viewed by most PPE OEMs and distributors in southern Africa as the world’s leading trade fair for safety, security, and health at work.It’s certainly big. This year there were 2,200 exhibiting companies from 58 nations in 12 halls on more than 80,300 squ ...moreTake the testWhat disciplines contribute to the Occupational Health & Safety Practitioner’s capability and competence? ...moreSafeguarding your safety gear: A short guide to PPE maintenance.In the realm of household safety, we often take extra care to protect our loved ones from potential hazards – like storing cleaning detergents out of reach of curious toddlers. The workplace is comparable in this regard. Prioritising workplace safety is important, but we also need to be mindful of the importance of maintaining pers ...moreChampioning legal waste disposal: Sanisure solution ensures compliance for septic tank waste generatorsDurban, KZN, SA (17 November 2023) – Sanitation and hygiene services provider Sanitech has added Sanisure to its range. Sanisure is an advanced product that supports organisations in various sectors - such as mining and industrial sites, residential estates, office parks, and hospitality establishments – in proactively managin ...moreAid for victims in disaster zones: A drone with earsWhen a natural disaster such as an earthquake occurs, every minute counts. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are often used to assist the search for survivors as they can provide an initial overview of difficult-to-reach areas and help to detect victims — provided they are visible. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Communica ...moreInspired by mussels: printable adhesives for tissues and bonesTitanium hip implants do not last forever — they gradually loosen, sooner or later losing their hold on the bone as it recedes over time. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP have been working alongside the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB and the Fraunhofer U ...more4Tify Africa resurrection bid – still no finalityThe application to resurrect 4Tify Africa – formerly North Safety – and other subsidiaries of African Boomerang Holdings, reported in the last issue of S&V Protect, is still ongoing, attorney Kobus van Niekerk, of Pretoria-based JI van Niekerk Inc., representing African Boomerang, has confirmed.Two creditors said the ...moreFrom crisis to success: increased testing linked to workplace alcohol and substance abuse decreaseJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA (09 November 2023) – Alcohol and substance abuse is not the type of problem that waits until after working hours. It’s a growing crisis with significant implications in the workplace for productivity, safety, and employee well-being, particularly while people are on the clock. Many organisations have ...moreDriving Responsibly: Alcohol and drug testing should be mandatory for South African eCommerce delivery driversJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA (30 November 2023) – With the South African eCommerce market projected to experience a remarkable 17.9% increase in 2023, contributing to a global growth rate of 17%, the demand for efficient delivery services has surged to meet this expanding sector. Although 'click and collect' options offer convenience, ...moreKey toy safety standard revised by ASTM International: Toy safety – it’s not all a gameWest Conshohocken, Pa., USA (15 November 2023) – ASTM International – formerly the American Society for Testing & Materials – has published a revision to its Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety (F963) to reflect changes approved by its toy safety subcommittee (F15.22).This specification serves to ad ...moreSAFLIA AGM: ‘Opposition to unfairness of collective bargaining drove SAFLIA membership drop’In an implicit question mark over the future of collective bargaining in the South African footwear manufacturing industry, the Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association lost many of its members, most of them SMMEs, at the beginning of 2023.“…they believe our wage rates in the footwear industry have grown ...moreThe rise and rise of Veldskoen as it seeks to double turnoverCape Town, W. Cape, SA – When they started, in 2016, they had no footwear background at all. By last year, they were responsible for between 13% and 18% of SA’s footwear exports by pairs, and probably at least as much by value.Anyone who knows much about SA’s footwear exports will know the reference is to Veldskoen (Pty) ...more© S&V Publications