Footwear - Leather - PPE Industry News & Articles

Whether the user is a finisher, or a technologist in the wet-end, the industry cannot escape the grip that acrylates have on the leather-making process. Many tanners describe the panic and fear they feel when they gaze into the future and see how rapidly polymers are taking over the position, that synthetic tanning agents (syntans) and ve ...more

Production of a sterile black wattle as a means of controlling the spread of a commercially important forestry species in South Africa. ...more

Cape Town, SA – Both as a footwear designer and as an entrepreneur, Grandt Mason has been genuinely creative in the development of his business.The company he has spent 15 years building – Grandt Mason – is a successful artisanal manufacturer of men’s and women’s comfortable fashion footwear with 3 retail out ...more

The creative will inherit the earth – eventually ...more

Jacques Pretorius, head of group sales, Bolton Footwear Cape Town, SA – Despite a tough trading period in South Africa for all fashion manufacturers and retailers, we are very optimistic about the future. We learned some hard lessons in 2016 and are now capitalizing on the growth opportunities that we have created with our newl ...more

Saifudin Khalifa, Deputy G/M, Kadisco Paint and Adhesive Industry S.C.Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Generally the industry is developing well, particularly for the exporters. There is a forex shortage which is affecting all business in general but those companies involved in exports are faring better. What I found interesting at the ...more

Peter Lin, proprietor, C.Y. LinCape Town, SA – We only began testing the market late last year, and the first containers only arrived in April. The feedback from customers so far is that they are selling well.Because we’re a new label, a lot of independents are on a testing stage. Customers are happy with the price points and ...more

Tom Bassage, member, CC LeatherPietermaritzburg, SA – Our turnover is up on last year – I estimate by between 10% and 15% – but I think our profitability is much the same.I think the reason for the increase has simply been that we’ve introduced some cheaper lines. Essentially, we’ve added some synthetic upper ...more

Washington, 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 ...more

Pinetown, 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 ...more

Johannesburg, 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 ...more

Collin 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 ...more

Gerald 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 ...more

Muhammad 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 ...more

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 ...more

Boksburg (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 ...more

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. ...more

Cape 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 ...more

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 ...more

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.    ...more