S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol81 No4 April 2018
This Magazine is sponsored by SAFLIA
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Business Barometer: Still hanging on
- Reunion Components: Much quieter than last year, but some positives on the horizon.
- A1 Bags: Innovate, cut costs and hang in there.
- Best Shoes: Tough, but we were expecting worse.
- Foot Fashion: The key is the right product at the right price.
- Afro Thai Imports: It boils down to a very tight economy.
- AM Badat: The twin challenges of chains and counterfeits.
Business
- Chic: We try to learn from our mistakes, says IDC.
- SAFLEC seeks to clarify exports to BLNS countries.
Company News
- Dangee Carken: Handpicked head for new clothing division.
- JN Chamberlain: Seeking new footwear markets for its resin and microcellular rubber sheeting.
Training
- ARSUTORIA footwear and leather goods design courses.
World News
- A more thoughtful - realistic - approach to Made in America.
- Nine West reportedly edging closer to bankruptcy, could sell flagship label to Authentic Brands Group.
- Rare coalition bands together to fight Trump tariffs.
Advertisers in this Issue
Apeco (2), Chillisource/Shoepack (8, 9), Dangee Carken (OFC, 10), Katz Footwear (12), PMC Group (5), Source Africa (14), Tuftex (6).
Footwear Industry Articles
- Cavalli introduces comfort range
George, W. Cape, SA – Recognising the growing demand for footwear that balances comfort and style, Cavalli introduces Cavalli Comfort, a ladies’ footwear range thoughtfully developed for women who prioritise both foot health and refined elegance.Created by Leo D’ Mar cc, a family-run business established in 1997 and the ...moreObituary: Joe McGinley, Conshu (14/04/1936-20/05/2026) He ran an empire, but kept a human touch
Somerset West, W. Cape, SA – Joseph Pascal McGinley, the former Conshu director who died in May, a month after his 90th birthday, was a larger-than-life character who was renowned during his career in SA for his kindness, and who lived life to the full.Born in Letterkenny, Donegal, Ireland, to Joseph and Madeline McGinley, both doct ...moreObituary: Vic Jablowski, BUSM, Protech V (03/09/1953-11/12/2025): One of those who survived BU’s closure
Durban, KZN, SA – My dad – was AMAZING.Born in 1953, he married Evelyn in 1979. My sister, Luanne Hough, was born in 1980, and I followed in 1983.A family man who made sure he supported his family in the most wonderful ways; he was also a loyal company man who worked most of his life for British United Shoe Machinery.But when ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- African leather businesses holding LWG and SLF ratingsAs African leather manufacturers strive to grow their exports, the number which have qualified for ratings by the Leather Working Group (LWG) and the Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) is growing.By country, LWG lists the following:Algeria: Sarl Tannerie Ain FakrounBurkina Faso: Mona Industry SARL.Egypt: El Montaza Tannery, Piel Color C ...moreSA’s 2025 automotive leather exports: Down on 2024, but still good, on the face of it
Figures from NAAMSA’s Automotive Trade Manual 2026 Automotive components – exports by product Component category 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 % of total export value Ran ...moreImproving the strength and softness of crust leather through pressure treatment
IntroductionRetanning and fatliquoring have a major impact on the characteristics of leather, whereas dyeing and the finishing concentrate on the appearance of the leather. Various retanning agents and fatliquoring agents have been developed to improve the softness and mechanical strength of leather, parameters that are important to the b ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- What if the respirator you rely on to protect your health never sealed properly?
I had the opportunity to present at the first PPE Conference in RSA, where I shared some early work we) have been exploring towards developing respirator designs better suited to the South African population.Below is a short AI-generated summary of the core message of the presentation.Respirators are often the last line of defence against ...moreRealPPE Marketplace: Where safety meets smarter procurementRealPPE Marketplace is a 100% black women-owned B2B PPE marketplace built for South African industry. Founded after years of witnessing safety officers and procurement teams lose time to fragmented suppliers, inconsistent pricing, and missing documentation, RealPPE was created to bring structure and reliability to industrial PPE sourcing. ...moreUnderstanding local and international PPE standards: Clarity in a complex landscape
Appearances and claims to the contrary, South Africa’s PPE industry “is largely unregulated, and a high percentage of PPE on the market is not compliant with official standards”, uvex Safety SA MD Christo Nel said, “and that’s a problem at many levels, and for the entire value chain”.He said the fundame ...more
