Footwear - Leather - PPE Industry News & Articles

The Renewable Carbon Initiative has published a position paper outlining the importance of chemical and physical recycling and what is needed to realise its huge potential. ...more

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development is calling on livestock farmers and livestock owners in all provinces to limit the movement of cloven-hoofed animals as far as possible. This is amid an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) on 5 farms in the Eastern Cape areas of Humansdorp ...more

" Unwanted! I would like to share that on more than one occasion I have submitted my candidacy to assume a responsibility on the Board of Leather Naturally and/or the Leather Working Group. I never heard back from either. So, the first thing that comes to your mind is ‘what do you expect?’. Of course! Logical! My continuo ...more

Horgen, Switzerland/Bühl, Germany (27 May 2024) – Hüni, which makes wooden and polypropylene drums and tannery automation systems, and Dose, which makes stainless steel drums and components, have concluded a strategic exclusive cooperation. Effective immediately, all Dose drums will be distributed worldwide solely through ...more

South Africa’s Chinese-owned shoe factories are a mixed bag. Some have been around a long time and face the same challenges as all other manufacturers, some are on the periphery and are marginally compliant with the bureaucracy governing the industry, others live in the shadows – unregistered businesses, unregistered workers, ...more

All the South African-owned factories who speciaiise in supplying volume orders to chains, and who agreed to comment, said volumes had dropped and that some of their chain customers openly said they had gone back to China.There have been casualties: In KZN, Nikkita Footwear Manufacturing, Prisaan Footwear, De Javw/Footech and Everstrong S ...more

‘Temu and Shein need to be dealt with quickly as they have to play on an equal footing’ ...more

Durban, KZN, SA – Angel Footwear cc is developing a stitchdown boot for distributor Gredale to supply Harley Davidson-franchised stores in the U.S.“We’re still in the development stages,” member Ashley Ramlakan said. “It’s a highly technical product, requiring waterproof materials and construction and h ...more

Durban, KZN, SA – Brandon Ganesh, formerly with the Nikkita Footwear, in February started a new factory with a very different business model.Aldora Footwear (Pty) Ltd targets the independent market with a small range of women’s, leather upper, stitchdown construction shoes and sandals.Current production is 200-250 pairs/day.&l ...more

The 8th annual ARSUTORIA 1-week Footwear & Leather Workshop in Durban and the ARSUTORIA 1-day Handbag & Accessories Workshop in Cape Town took place earlier this month.Below, Stefano Migliavacca, who runs International Projects at Edizione AF Srl, which also operates the ARSUTORIA school in Milan, says that to be successful export ...more

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – The South African office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) picked up the tab for this year’s ARSUTORIA Footwear & Leather 1-week workshop in Durban and Handbag & Leather Goods 1-day workshop win Cape Town.Explaining the rationale behind the sponsorship, Nii Moi Thompson, chief techn ...more

Can Nigeria reshape the trajectory of Africa’s footwear industry? The Made in Nigeria Shoe Expo (MINSE) in Lagos may provide insights into this possibility. This biannual event, held in Lagos and Abuja, brings together local and international shoe manufacturers, designers, and dealers. Nigeria’s involvement in such events sugg ...more

Levi Strauss & Co., through its website, has announced its decision to deprioritize footwear in specific regions, likely prompted by its less than stellar financial performance. The company will strategically realign its focus and concentrate on its core competencies — denim apparel. Denim also yields higher margins for Lev ...more

Shoes for Crews, a renowned manufacturer of slip-resistant footwear, has recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company’s financial challenges stem from intense competition from online marketplaces like Temu, operated by a Chinese e-commerce company. Temu offers shoes they advertise as slip-resistant at prices as low as $17, ...more

lululemon, the brand known for its yoga wear and activewear, recently expanded its product offerings to include men’s footwear. In February 2024, the company launched its first men’s shoe, The cityverse sneaker. As lululemon navigates the highly competitive men’s footwear market, it faces a critical decision: s ...more

The Decline of Traditional ShoemakingThe traditional craft of shoemaking, especially in regions such as Africa, Europe, and North America, is facing significant challenges. Once-busy workshops now struggle with fewer orders, primarily due to intense competition from mass-produced shoes manufactured in Asia. This decline has put the liveli ...more

East London, E. Cape, SA – An old boy of De La Salle, he always loved retail, from being a manager at OK Bazaars, to a self-made businessman.His first shop was Glen’s Stores in Alice.After settling in Gonubie, he opened Glens’ Shoes in 1987, which he ran successfully for 35 years until retiring in 2022.An old school gent ...more

Pinetown, KZN, SA – The youngest of 4 siblings, Leo’s presence was undeniable, shaping the lives of those around him with his boundless energy and entrepreneurial zeal.Together with his sister Linda and his parents, they ran Fanci-Form, specialising in the manufacturing of lasts for both the local and international markets. Hi ...more

Roodepoort, Gauteng, SA – We’ve just been on a trip around the country, visiting customers and suppliers, and I’m quite confident about the future. It’s hard to put a finger on it, or to know what will happen with the election, but I am confident. Growth in traditional retail is minimal from our perspective as ther ...more

Bata Shoe Company has ordered its former employees to return to work after failing to pay them their retrenchment packages.Over 106 employees were laid off in November last year without notice and the company had pledged to pay them their severance packages within weeks.However, after failing to meet its end of the bargain, the company ha ...more