Footwear Industry Articles
- From traditional dress to sneakers - a Japanese success story
Tokyo Kimono Shoes isn’t just a footwear company; it’s a story of innovation, sustainability, and cultural revival. Founded by Shotaro Kawamura, a former logistics professional who witnessed the decline of Japanese brands, Tokyo Kimono Shoes is taking the world by storm with its unique sneakers crafted from recycled kimono fab ...moreHappiest as a technical shoemaker
Obituary: Stephan Berrill – Jack & Jill, Paul Moeller & Co., Adidas, Angels Shoes (29/03/1956-15/07/2024) ...moreExpanding horizons: Leveraging African trade opportunities with SAFLEC's outward selling missionsThe South African Footwear and Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) is paving the way for its members to tap into African markets to grow their businesses through strategic outward selling and inward buying missions. These missions, tailored to maximize market presence and drive sales, are a game-changer for South African footwear and leather ...moreHas Nike’s greed come back to haunt it?Early in July, international media carried reports about a steep fall in Nike’s share price following disappointing results. One was Sky News, which headlined a report: ‘How a series of blunders brought Nike's share price to COVID lows and meant it's being beaten by younger rivals.The iconic sportswear brand has switched away ...moreRelationships have to be more equalCape Town, W. Cape, SA – I’m sure Nike’s decision to drop so many retailers can’t have helped their recent performance, but I don’t know how much damage that did to them.It was mostly motivated by the opportunity to double their markup – that’s the only reason that makes sense. But what they didn& ...moreSpringbok sponsors – and as a sports shop we can’t get a single jerseyPort Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA – What we hear is that both Nike and Adidas are losing sales internationally.Here, however, we’re affected by Nike’s Springbok sponsorship deal – as a sports shop, we can’t get a single Springbok rugby jersey or replica shirt. We couldn’t get them during the World Cup, we cou ...moreTheir strategy hasn’t unfolded as they expectedCape Town, W. Cape, SA – Yes, Nike has been down this road before. Their current new Global Strategy to streamline their distribution was implemented and we independent businesses were out of their bigger plan. This sadly led to many independent retailers, dependent onNike, Adidas, NB, etc., to close down or to downscale their opera ...moreOthers have taken their placeLouis Trichardt, Limpopo, SA – I do think their drop in business is because they have sidelined all the independents. After all, it was the independents that grew the brand, not the chain groups. With this being said, all other companies have taken advantage and grown to another level. One of those is Puma which has grown so much an ...moreParagon adds PPE reseller division to footwear factory
Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA – Footwear manufacturer Paragon Footwear (Pty) Ltd has launched a PPE division, trading as Paragon PPE, and headed by director Dione Govender.Paragon PPE is an online reseller of a large range of leading brands of safety footwear, workwear, and branded corporate clothing and accessories. – Website www ...moreThe shoe count: It’s still Asics’ show
The official Comrades Marathon shoe count – based on entry forms – shows no real surprises.Asics, with 34%, remains the comfortable leader. Adidas, New Balance, and Nike were the only others to reach double figures.“My only doubt is the Adidas figure,” said The Sweatshop’s Jax Snyman. “They were footwea ...more© S&V Publications
