Cape 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& ...more

Sponsored by the SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC). Durban, KZN, SA – This year’s SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) AGM – the 22nd – was a much smaller occasion than in previous years, an acknowledgement of a reduced budget. It was, however, quite upbeat.     ...more

Rapid Expansion BackfiresDrip Footwear, a once-promising South African sneaker brand, is facing a severe financial crisis that has sparked intense scrutiny and debate. The company’s rapid expansion into shopping malls has backfired spectacularly, leaving it with a R20 million debt, a foreign exchange blunder, and the looming threat ...more

Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA – We are now nearly 5 years down the line, since the KKI and Mosstrich/SCOT merger. The new name Cape Karoo International (CKI) is now well known among all international and local buyers of ostrich leather. Our clients across the globe also have switched now to “CKI” as the new brand, understandin ...more

IntroductionWhen a hide loses moisture, the proteoglycans present in the hide stick the collagen fibres together. This negatively impacts the penetration of water and other chemicals into the hides during processing, and also the opening-up of the collagen fibres and hence the softness of the leather. It is therefore ideal to remove prote ...more

Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (08 August 2024) – Following the recent outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Municipalities of the Eastern Cape, the Department of Agriculture is committed to providing ongoing updates and ensuring effective measures are in place to manage the situation.Engagement with Farmers an ...more

Chinese online retailers Temu and Shein, which deliver parcels to individual consumers directly from China, have opened a loophole for noncompliant safety footwear and respiratory protection equipment to enter SA.The safety footwear styles offered by both do not have National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS) approval numbers, and ...more

We repeatedly get queries from incensed importers who have had goods stopped at the behest of the National Consumer Commission (“NCC”) because the labelling of the goods is not compliant. Such a small thing, which gives rise to disastrous consequences since the NCC issues a directive to the importer:  threatening a fin ...more

Introduction:The increasing effects of global warming are leading to more frequent and unpredictable adverse weather. The severity of these conditions is becoming more pronounced, with heavy and continuous rainfall, high winds, and plummeting temperatures in some parts of South Africa. Contractors must adapt health and safety (H&S) co ...more