S&V African Leather Magazine Vol11 No3 March 2017
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Sector Reports
Feedlots
SA agriculture needs to unite to fight antimicrobial resistance, says Minister.
Slaughter drops more than expected, reports Karan Beef’s Arnold Pretorius.
Hides & skins
Hide prices where they should be, says CPC’s Benjy Lapiner.
Small increase in sheepskin supply, demand steady, says African Hide Trading’s Steven Broughton.
Merino
Exports only way forward, but raw material prices too high, says African Merino Trading’s Simo Simov.
Ostrich
SCOT Doing an about-face on China, says Frik Kriek.
Production must match demand, says Mosstrich MD Francois de Wet.
Ostrich industry needs a different business model, says OPSA’s Saag Jonker.
Footwear
Demand down, supply down further, says Midland Leather’s Rudie Nieuwoudt.
Game
Wildlife Ranching SA ‘commits to transformation’, says Adri Kitshoff-Botha.
Leather Research Institute
DTI ‘has created the environment to support an LRI’, assessment finds.
Opinion – The role of masking agents in pickling
From columnist H. Procter.
Technology
Clean processing technology and sustainable production in the tanning industry Reducing Salt in Tannery Wastewater – Part 10, from Dr Clive Jackson-Moss.
Some hide and leather specifications
Compiled by the ISTT.
Companies
Ecco Leather launches translucent leather.
Pension fund head joins Zambeef board.
Fairs and Congresses
ACLE to coincide with World Leather Congress.
Chinese crackdown on polluting industries ‘will be good for exports’.
Designers return to leather as prices drop.
The ‘Leather Revolution’ – how the industry will respond.
Textiles
China refines its cotton policy – report from ICAC.
Advertisers in this Issue
DyStar Boehme Africa (2), Exotic Leather SA (12), ISTT (11), Lanxess (4), Mimosa Extract Co (10), Rolfes Chemicals (OFC), SCOT (6), Tholanizikhumba Trading (7).
- Exports only way forward, but raw material prices remain too high
Bronkhorstspruit, SA – Last year was our worst year since we first opened in 2003. Our normal turnover would be about R30 million per year. In 2015 that dropped to R10 million, and last year to under R1 million. Essentially the export market is closed to us for several reasons:* Russia doesn’t have the money.* Turkey still imp ...moreDoing an about-face on China
An interview with South Cape Ostrich Tanning (SCOT) marketing director Frik Kriek. Ostrich has to find new markets – and there are some. Potential markets often have tariff barriers. Customers call for new looks, but buy the tried and trusted finishes ...moreProduction must match demand
An interview with Mosstrich MD Francois de Wet. Ostrich is a small global player with a unique niche. Pressure to slaughter younger, but there are problems. European demand for fresh Meat is softer than expected ...moreOstrich industry needs a different business model
An interview with Saag Jonker, founder of Ostrich Products South Africa (OPSA) as part of the Saag Jonker Group of Companies. The ostrich industry needs greater unity. Farmers need a greater share. Let’s be more realistic about grading ...moreSA needs to aim at agreeing to implement strategies that will ensure that AMR is limited and reduced.Presentation by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Senzeni Zokwana, at the Red Meat Industry Workshop on March 16 ...moreSlaughter drops more than expectedJohannesburg, SA – The reduction in cattle slaughter seems to be more than the 8% I predicted in January.For February and March the reduction was 20%.My forecast for April is to be down by 13% and I would think that May will also be down by the same percentage.From June onwards I would think that the situation would return to about ...moreHide prices where they should be.Port Elizabeth, SA – The volatility of the Rand is always a factor. When it was at R12.30 to the Dollar, we were definitely paying too much for hides. At R13,20, hide prices are back where they should be.Hides are less price sensitive than skins for us because there is a big local market with the automotive industry whereas all skin ...moreWRSA commits to transformationThe Wildlife Ranching industry is committed to play a leading role in the transformation of South Africa's agriculture industry. WRSA is committed to work with government to turn million hectares of land into black-owned game reserves that will contribute meaningfully to South Africa's transformation and conservation goals. &nbs ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Manufacturer-buyer event: Results still to be tallied, but broad enthusiasm for more
The 2-day Retail Buyer Engagement & Manufacturer Onboarding Programme on 01 and 02 July was part of an effort to kickstart the R-CTFL Masterplan – which, from a footwear perspective at least, has appeared stalled.It was sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and implemented through the R-CTFL Masterplan Footwea ...moreNational Leather and General Goods Strategy WorkshopOn 23 June, following months of fieldwork, B&M Analysts (BMA) hosted an online workshop to discuss the recovery of the handbags, belts, travel goods and allied manufacturing industries in SA.The industries, although very diverse, fall under the General Goods & Handbags Sector of the National Bargaining Council of the Leather Indus ...moreThe showroom pair is not the orderA shoe on a showroom table is wonderfully persuasive. A buyer can flex the forefoot, press the heel counter, check the stitching, compare the two shoes and turn the pair over to examine the sole. Colour, finish and hand feel are all there to judge.The purchase order may then reduce that pair to a short line: one style number, one colour d ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Organic cotton at the crossroads: Ideology, evidence, and the road ahead
Washington, DC, U.S.A. (23 June 2026) — Organic cotton occupies one of the most contentious spaces in global agriculture. While praised by brands and consumers for its environmental ideals, it also faces persistent questions about yield stability, certification integrity, and scalability. The current edition of The ICAC Recorde ...moreOBLIQUITY
Shareholder value is usually the result of running a good business, not a reliable operational principle for running one ...moreFifteen million sheep in the UK to share among shearersAccording to the UK government, its sheep population decreased over the past year by 1.7% but that still leaves a flock of over 30 million. For comparison, the domestic flock in South Africa numbers about 21 million and New Zealand has some 23 million. Australia, with more than 70 million, has a wool clip of approximately 325,000 tonnes. ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Protecting the workforce: The critical role of PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is utilised in a work-environment as part of a larger prevention plan, because on its own protection is limited and may even provide a false sense of protection.An occupational disease prevention plan must be an actionable approach that identifies workplace health hazards, evaluates exposure, and i ...morePremier Workwear: Engineered protection for Africa’s industrial workforce
In high-risk industrial environments, protective clothing is far more than a uniform requirement — it is a critical component of workplace safety, operational reliability and regulatory compliance. For procurement professionals, safety managers and operational leaders, selecting the right supplier means finding a partner capable of ...moreBiodegradable disposable gloves ‘a growing trend’ in PPE
The poster is available to download in English in both PNG and PDF formats hereCompostable and biodegradable PPE are said to be rapidly growing trends internationally, lead by brands like Showa and HaPPE Earth.The nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH in Hürth, Germany, has published an updated versio ...more
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