Footwear - Leather - PPE Industry News & Articles

ICLT – no need to mourn too muchRegretfully the University of Northampton decided in 2023 to close the Institute of Creative Leather Technologies, which in a variety of forms can be dated back to 1891. Apparently, the number of students declined over the years, the costs increased and the institution became unsustainable leading to ...more

Nigel, Gauteng, SA – The global market for automotive leather remains subdued, Pangea SA finance & administration director Adrian Visser said this month, and in South Africa’s case, that is further affected by concerns about US tariffs “which affect us indirectly through our customers”.“It’s a flat ...more

IntroductionThere are substantial ambiguities and debates about the definition of a “Competent Person” when assigning legal appointments and responsibilities for supervision, oversight, and management of key tasks. These are outlined in the Construction Regulations (2014) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of (1993). Va ...more

Today’s modern healthcare facilities have, respectfully, moved beyond bricks, mortar and medical equipment to now include infrastructure that embeds intelligence and resilience, providing the foundation for safer, smarter and patient-centric healthcare environment.In fact, the medical industry is making truly remarkable gains when i ...more

Today’s modern healthcare facilities have, respectfully, moved beyond bricks, mortar and medical equipment to now include infrastructure that embeds intelligence and resilience, providing the foundation for safer, smarter and patient-centric healthcare environment. In fact, the medical industry is making truly remarkable gains when ...more

ProFit Safety Footwear national sales manager Nick Bryant was asked on his 45th birthday (20th of August) whether he still enjoys what he does for a living. “Absolutely. I love it. I live for it,” he replied. “And as for how… well, like most things in life, you need to have a serious passion for it… and an ...more

Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Ernie was raised in a strong, principled household. Ernie’s father – a naval man with sharp business acumen and a steady temperament – and his mother, who was uncompromising in her pursuit of fairness, instilled in him the values of discipline, justice, and integrity that would define his l ...more

Pretoria, 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 ...more

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (17 September 2025) – Fidelity Services Group has acquired a majority shareholding in SSG Holdings, following all requisite regulatory approvals. The acquisition will expand Fidelity’s footprint to more than 256 locations and grow its workforce to approximately 69 200 employees across Southern Africa. ...more

The issue of ‘Selecting Job Task Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE)’ seems a simple undertaking, but at many levels, it is a fairly complex issue, because for each type of PPE there are usually various product variants available for the different risks and exposures related to specific job task work occurrences and events.To ...more

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – I’ve actually closed my store down.I was situated in Mooi Street, Johannesburg, but the city has degenerated so badly that customers were scared to come to buy high value goods as they could be robbed or stabbed. It’s just not worth it to risk my life in the slum that used to be Johannesburg.& ...more

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – The Competition Tribunal has conditionally approved the proposed merger in which Pepkor Trading (Pty) Ltd will acquire the retail brands and businesses of Retailability (Pty) Ltd i.e. Legit, Style, Swagga (including the Beaver Canoe brand) and Boardmans. Once the merger is implemented, Pepkor Trading will ass ...more

Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Hosiery manufacturer Falke SA is among the handful of SA CTFL companies whose business is overwhelmingly export orientated. In its case, its products go to its parent company in Germany, which handles the European market, and to the United States, to hosiery and footwear accessories company Implus, under the ...more

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – One would expect vulcanised canvas to be showing renewed momentum, given its durability and long-lasting value in a market where affordability is key. There’s also a strong heritage connection, with many South Africans remembering vulcanised footwear — like Converse, back when it was widely ac ...more

Bangkok Airways and Puma are breaking new ground, giving cabin crew and ground staff custom sneakers made from about 30% recycled materials. Sure, it’s a small uniform change — but it’s a big signal. Comfort is no longer a perk; it’s part of a brand’s identity. And when pioneers make the move, other airl ...more

Adidas is under scrutiny in Mexico over its “Oaxaca Slip-On” sandal, which officials say closely resembles the traditional huaraches of the Zapotec people. Cultural appropriation — taking elements from another culture, often without credit or fair compensation — is at the centre of the dispute. While such appropria ...more

SAFLEC 23rd AGM, 06 August 2025, Umhlanga, KZN: Extracts from the reports ...more

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 ...more

Durban, KZN, SA – My father was born in Potsdam, Germany, in the aftermath of the Second World War. His father died when he was very young, and his mother fled Germany for a better future in South Africa.As a German speaker, he was placed in the Afrikaans medium Port Natal School, where he matriculated in 1963.He went on to the Univ ...more

Sky News uncovers the first official estimate of the value of so-called 'de minimis' imports into Britain ahead of an official inquiry into whether this legal clause should be allowed to continue. ...more