Footwear - Leather - PPE Industry News & Articles
- High prices in 2016/17 encourages cotton area expansion in 2017/18Washington, USA – High cotton prices have prevailed in 2016/17, which are expected to encourage farmers to expand the area under cotton by 5% to 30.8 million hectares in 2017/18. India’s cotton area is forecast to increase by 7% to 11.3 million hectares in 2017/18 as farmers are encouraged by better returns due to high cotton ...moreAlan D Jackson: Leather under pressurePinetown, SA – The demand for cheaper footwear means demand for footwear upper leather has dropped, leaving leather sellers in a difficult position, says Alan D Jackson member Morgan Naidoo. His business specialises in Brazilian leather for better-end footwear, but the pressure is on for alternatives. “The exchange rate has ma ...moreThe Studio 88 Group - The unspoken aim is to dominate men\'s branded apparelJohannesburg, SA – This article differs from all preceding articles in this series in that it was submitted to us without an interview, and with the proviso that there would be no photos of personnel. It was written in September last year. From Laurence Wernars, chairman of the Studio 88 group of companiesI thank you for your i ...moreVery slow first half, but confidence up as orders to hold stock come inCollin Pillay, member, Topline ManufacturersDurban, SA – Our turnover for the first 4 months is definitely down – by as much as 20%, and we just hope and pray that it will pick up.Some of our customers have work, but the independents are very quiet and it seems many of the chains aren’t placing orders at the moment eithe ...moreWaiting for retailers to clear old stockGerald Jason, member, CG ShoesDurban, SA – Our turnover is down compared to the same period last year.The situation is that independent retailers just don’t want to place orders at the moment because they’re sitting with stock after a poorer-than-expected Christmas season and a disastrous Easter.Most of them have told us ...moreCounterfeits an added problemMuhammad Ismail, director, American ShopPretoria, SA – I’d say our turnover is on par with last year. We service the lower end of the market and the main factors affecting our consumers are unemployment and inflation. We sell mostly brands, and we are also very badly affected by counterfeits – they sell ‘Nike&rsquo ...moreWhere have all the foreigners gone?Arvin Govind, proprietor, Beggio’s ClothingJohannesburg, SA – Turnover is down about 30%.People haven’t got money at the moment, and unemployment is a big factor.There has also been a big drop in the number of foreigners shopping here – from Botswana, Mozambique and other neighbouring states. Previously they came t ...moreProFit Safety Footwear: Taking the nasty out of cheapBoksburg (SA) – In June 2016, after almost 7 years since it was established, ProFit Safety Footwear started making some radical changes to its business model. A completely new look, a stronger website, involvement in social media and a complete overhaul of their range offering. Out with the old – and in with the new! Moving fr ...moreThere’s a lot of planning to be done before anyone can climb anywhere
The following (true) situation facing a homeowner having repairs done to his roof was sent to S&V Protect for comment. We asked Dylan Sutherland, of Protekta Safety Africa, how anyone – private person or business – should have handled it. This kicks off a series of articles which he will write on PPE for working at height in various common situations in South Africa. ...moreTips to get into the right gearCape Town (SA) – Sparks and Ellis believes that a uniform says a lot about your organisation and it can also instil a sense of pride in the wearer while promoting respect and confidence.This is according to Sparks & Ellis CEO, Sue de Wet, who says that balancing budget and quality is a delicate balance when looking for a uniform ...moreAs competition heats up, can e-textiles take the next step towards the mass market?Cambridge (UK) – As competition heats up, can e-textiles take the next step towards the mass market?Over the past 20 years, e-textiles have progressed from an academic curiosity to an important technology platform generating revenue for companies globally. In particular, the industry saw strong growth for several years up to 2015, w ...moreMore garment developments for Dyneema
Heerlen (The Netherlands) – DSM Dyneema, inventor and manufacturer of ultra high molecular weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibre branded as Dyneema, is targeting sportswear as a new market.It commissioned technical apparel designer Conroy Nachtigall to develop an alpine jacket of tomorrow with Dyneema Composite Fabric. ...moreExports only way forward, but raw material prices remain too high
Bronkhorstspruit, SA – Last year was our worst year since we first opened in 2003. Our normal turnover would be about R30 million per year. In 2015 that dropped to R10 million, and last year to under R1 million. Essentially the export market is closed to us for several reasons:* Russia doesn’t have the money.* Turkey still imp ...moreDoing an about-face on China
An interview with South Cape Ostrich Tanning (SCOT) marketing director Frik Kriek. Ostrich has to find new markets – and there are some. Potential markets often have tariff barriers. Customers call for new looks, but buy the tried and trusted finishes ...moreProduction must match demand
An interview with Mosstrich MD Francois de Wet. Ostrich is a small global player with a unique niche. Pressure to slaughter younger, but there are problems. European demand for fresh Meat is softer than expected ...moreOstrich industry needs a different business model
An interview with Saag Jonker, founder of Ostrich Products South Africa (OPSA) as part of the Saag Jonker Group of Companies. The ostrich industry needs greater unity. Farmers need a greater share. Let’s be more realistic about grading ...moreSlaughter drops more than expectedJohannesburg, SA – The reduction in cattle slaughter seems to be more than the 8% I predicted in January.For February and March the reduction was 20%.My forecast for April is to be down by 13% and I would think that May will also be down by the same percentage.From June onwards I would think that the situation would return to about ...moreSmall increase in sheepskin supply, demand steadyPort Elizabeth, SA – The market for Dorper and Merino sheepskins is reasonable, with demand steady in China and other key markets, and the quantities look like they have increased to some degree. The hide market is up and down, but demand generally is still firm.The volatility of the Rand is an issue, and given what’s happenin ...moreWRSA commits to transformationThe Wildlife Ranching industry is committed to play a leading role in the transformation of South Africa's agriculture industry. WRSA is committed to work with government to turn million hectares of land into black-owned game reserves that will contribute meaningfully to South Africa's transformation and conservation goals. &nbs ...more© S&V Publications
