Footwear - Leather - PPE Industry News & Articles
- Alan D. Jackson: Exchange rate has made imports very difficultDurban, KZN, SA – It’s a difficult position to be in selling imported leathers now as the landed prices from overseas are really expensive compared to local prices. The exchange rate is not helping at all.Clients are also struggling in getting orders from retailers who are always looking for cheaper prices.Basically, it's a st ...moreSociety of Leather Technologists and Chemists (SLTC): Update from parent bodyIn response to the report in the July issue on the SA Section of the SLTC, the parent body encourages southern African members to continue engaging with the society, and outlines changes which will make it easier to do so. ...moreSustainable Leather Foundation: Budget now for improvement – legislation is comingAs most of mainland Europe begin their summer break, it is usually around this time of year that we can take stock, catch up on those administrative tasks and plan for the rest of the year. Well, perhaps it is a sign of our fast-changing industry landscape, that means this year we are still moving at full speed just to stay on top of the ...moreTravel advice for anyone attending IULTCS CongressThe XXXVII IULTCS Congress in Chengdu, China, from 17 to 20 October 2023 (https://iultcs.org/events/future/) is fast approaching, and the committee members are aware than many people will be considering if they will be attending this important event. There is no doubt that the event will be very rewarding to anyone who can participate at ...moreSA hides, skins, and leather trade statistics for June 2023Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (31 July 2023) – Source: SARS.Including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN)Cumulative tradeTrade balance R'm (101 582 416)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.95Monthly tradeTrade balance R'm (41 799 770)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.89ExportsMonth % of total 0.21Cumulative 2022 (R'm) 1 964&nbs ...moreBorage: ISO certification helps open doors ‘in difficult market’
Pinetown, KZN, SA – The Rainbow Group cc, which includes Borage Textile Laminators, was certified ISO 9001:2015 compliant late last year, allowing it to supply entities which require quality assurance certification throughout their supply line.“Even in a tough environment, that’s helped bring in new business,” said ...moreProudly SA, but not very local
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (21 June 2023) – Proudly South African, the joint state-private sector association which promotes ‘buy local’ campaigns to encourage job creation, has had a more-than-life size mascot made to promote its message.Named Lolo (an abbreviation of “Love Local”) Warona (“ours”) ...moreLou Harvey: Defying conventional wisdom by successfully exporting non-leather bags to Japan (and many other places)
Durban, KZN, SA – Lou Harvey – the company – is, surely, the only business in South Africa’s CTFL exporting community which has had its products SOUND tested. And Lou Harvey – the person – is, surely, alone is receiving 800 WhatsApp messages in 1 day from the same person. You would be correct if you gue ...moreSupreme Court rejects Biden’s plan to cancel student loan debt, raising concerns for footwear companies and retailers
June 30, 2023, marked a significant blow for President Joe Biden. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against his ambitious plan to cancel $430 billion in student loan debt. This debt cancellation initiative aimed to benefit up to 43 million Americans, fulfilling a campaign promise that was made by the Democratic president. The court’s dec ...moreFrom DTC embrace to wholesale reunion, Nike’s retail strategy unveiled
Like a spouse saying to his or her partner — “I’m leaving you because I want to be alone, but I might come back, and when I do, please take me back.” This can be exemplified by what Nike has done. In 2017, Nike’s CEO, Mark Parker, announced at its Investor’s Day summit that the company would be embarkin ...moreExploring the implications of slip-in shoes on children’s growth and independence
As a retail analyst with a special interest in the footwear industry, I recently came across a captivating radio advertisement that piqued my curiosity. The ad showcased Skechers’ latest innovation: Hands-Free Slip-Ins. Being intrigued by this product, which promised to revolutionize the way children put on their shoes, I couldn&rsq ...moreMinimalist shoes — fashionable choice, but linked to higher risk of injury and pain
A recent study conducted by researchers at Griffith University in Australia looked at how different types of shoes affect runners. The study focused on minimalist footwear, which has less cushioning and support than traditional running shoes. The researchers wanted to understand if minimalist shoes could lead to more injuries and pain for ...moreSouth Africa’s market-leading safety footwear styles a testament to local development
With a 120-year history in occupational footwear, integrated workplace safety solutions provider BBF Safety Group remains Africa’s largest manufacturer of safety footwear. It also continues to expand its range of head-to-toe Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). ...moreWe are focused on bringing international and developing private-label brands to Africa and beyond.
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA - Now with a collection of 13 brands and more to be added, Sole Agents Distribution is well on track to being established in markets across Africa.New brands are continually added to the mix, and much time goes into the market and financial analysis before committing to any international or private-label brands.W ...moreWorld Footwear Yearbook 2023Is re-shoring a myth? Asia accounts for more than half of global CONSUMPTION.Porto, Portugal (27 July 2023) – The 2023 edition of the World Footwear Yearbook, produced annually by APICCAPS, the Portuguese Footwear Association, has been published. This is the 13th edition.In a release, it highlighted:2022: Global footwear ...moreItaly: Values up, volumes downFirst quarter of 2023: Turnover (+13.6%) - Exports in value terms (+16.1%) - Export volumes (-2%) - Production (-1%)Milan, Italy (10 July 2023) – The first quarter of 2023 saw the recovery of the Italian footwear sector continue, with turnover up +13.6% compared to the same period in the previous year. This is th ...moreSA footwear & accessories trade statistics for May 2023Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (30 June 2023) – Source: SARS.Including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN)Cumulative tradeTrade balance R'm (5 325 826 601)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.23Monthly tradeTrade balance R'm (1 029 940 927)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.24ExportsMonth % of total 0.18Cumulative 2022 (R'm) 1&nb ...moreUK trophy ban still being debated1. Feedback on the Controversial UK TROPHY BAN.Despite much publicity, and input from various African Governments, NGOs and scientists, the House of Commons approved the Trophy Ban bill, but it still needed the approval from the House of Lords. Two amendments were added before passing the Commons: (1) limits the ban to CITES listed ...moreHandel Street Medical to make 4-ply masks in conjunction with US technology partner Ascend Performance Materials
Durban, KZN, SA – Medical mask manufacturer Handel Street Medical is gearing up to manufacture 4-ply technology masks made from zinc-embedded polyamide polymer matrix supplied by our technology partner, Ascend Performance Materials.Production, at a rate of 20 000 masks/day, will begin in September 2023 and will be available to ...moreHealth care and security inventions win £25,000 Engineering Innovation awards
Since 2014, the UK-based Royal Academy of Engineering has awarded an annual ‘Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation’, which this year has been given to 2 recipients, from South Africa and Uganda. The South African entry is aimed at improving women’s health, the Ugandan one at upscaling security. ...more© S&V Publications
