Footwear Industry Articles

Pinetown, KZN, SA – 6 months after the closure of Shoetech Engineering, its successor company, Shoet3ch Consumables (Pty) Ltd, has opened premises back in Pinetown.“This is of course a business decision,” said Shoet3ch director Nicky Hawkins, daughter of the late Shoetech owner, Eckehard Schumann, “but it’s a ...more

I'm going to be very discreet with the following article. Some of the persons described here could possibly be alive and still employed in the industry [Almost certainly, Brian. Only the good die young. – Ed.]. However, I'm not trying to embarrass anyone but just having a laugh at what happened during those overseas trips.Some ...more

The Malawi Leather Industry Association says it is struggling to meet the annual demand for shoes, producing only 200 000 pairs against demand of 15.5 million, largely due to competition from imports and forex shortages hindering raw material imports.Data from Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (Smedi), which is championin ...more

American shoemaker New Balance has shipped its first export consignment from its manufacturing hub in Tamil Nadu, marking India’s growing role in global footwear supply chains. At the same time, Japanese giant ASICS is increasing local production in India from 30% to 40% to comply with the country’s new Bur ...more

The state of Uttar Pradesh has approved a new footwear policy aimed at building a smooth chain that goes from design to delivery — covering ideas, production, training, and exports. The plan focuses on traditional hubs like Agra and Kanpur while pushing investment into less-developed regions such as&nbs ...more

I met Colin Pedlar for the first time when we had the opportunity to take over a production plant in Lesotho.It was quite a daunting prospect starting a new business in a foreign country.Colin was very involved right from the start and tackled every hurdle calmy, from negotiating with the Lesotho Government to moving machinery to Lesotho. ...more

Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Hosiery manufacturer Falke SA is among the handful of SA CTFL companies whose business is overwhelmingly export orientated. In its case, its products go to its parent company in Germany, which handles the European market, and to the United States, to hosiery and footwear accessories company Implus, under the ...more

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – One would expect vulcanised canvas to be showing renewed momentum, given its durability and long-lasting value in a market where affordability is key. There’s also a strong heritage connection, with many South Africans remembering vulcanised footwear — like Converse, back when it was widely ac ...more

Bangkok Airways and Puma are breaking new ground, giving cabin crew and ground staff custom sneakers made from about 30% recycled materials. Sure, it’s a small uniform change — but it’s a big signal. Comfort is no longer a perk; it’s part of a brand’s identity. And when pioneers make the move, other airl ...more

Adidas is under scrutiny in Mexico over its “Oaxaca Slip-On” sandal, which officials say closely resembles the traditional huaraches of the Zapotec people. Cultural appropriation — taking elements from another culture, often without credit or fair compensation — is at the centre of the dispute. While such appropria ...more