IN THIS ISSUE:
Business Barometer: More hope, more innovation
- Evané Footwear: Downturn was expected.
- Fred Footwear: Positive mindset half the battle won.
- Claw Boot: Challenging but exciting.
- Paul Walsh Agencies: KZN is a poor province by comparison.
- Crossover: Exclusivity a point of difference.
- Arma Trading Store: A small country now overtraded.
- Anwary's: Politics and money.
- Universal Brands: Namibia faces many challenges.
- KG Chapaner & Co: Uncertainty and second hand goods hurting business.
- Anonymous retailer: Local suppliers picking up, but lack of variety.
Trends
- Bolton Footwear and Intershu Distributors share styles for summer.
- EVA Industries innovative with recyclable hangers for flip flops.
Government Intervention
- Masterplan: The government's vision for the CTFL sector, and how footwear manufacturers see it.
SAFLIA and SAFLEC AGMs
- SAFLIA chairman: It's not wise to say things can't get worse!
- SAFLIA director: We remain a resilient industry.
- SAFLEC chairman: Africa remains SA's major export market.
- SAFLEC director: We've made the world aware, now we need the product.
The strike - the war of words goes on
- An outside observer: Both sides miscalculated.
- SAFLIA: No good came out of this.
- SACTWU: No regrets.
- BBF/Neptun: Safety firms want changes to negotiation process.
- Chain reaction: Or lack thereof.
World news
- Almost all footwear sold in the US is imported. Now the industry is terrified of tariffs.
- Why JC Penney is targeting moms instead of Millennials.
- The fastest growing retailer in the US is not what you'd expect.
- Influencer fatigue is turning off shoppers, new study finds.
- The secret to Macy's rebound? Cutting inventory.
Advertisers in this Issue
Azula (2), Europa Art/Sergio Taccini (8), Fred Footwear (10), Katz Footwear (OFC), Tuftex (4).
Footwear Industry Articles
- Has 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 ...moreDrip Footwear’s financial crisis - a cautionary tale
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 ...moreAlternative to master plan is not anarchyNote: This article is about the Department of Trade, Industry & Competition’s master plans as a concept, not about the R-CTFL Master Plan specifically. ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Sam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humour" HilariousThe industrial promotion section of the Rwandan Ministry of Trade and Industry has announced that the country intends to develop a tannery park in the Bugesera special economic zone near the border with Burundi. When one talks about a tannery park, one imagines a minimum of a dozen tanneries, and another dozen shoe and lea ...moreANAEROBIC LEATHER
Anaerobic leather - most people have heard of the leather find that was a shoe or a bag from antiquity, stored in a preservation condition that has allowed the relic to last several hundred years without being broken down. Is this the model of how, as a material, leather can be stored in a fossilised form taking carbon out of the atmosphe ...moreIULTCS Young Leather Scientist Grant Programme 2025 announcedThe IULTCS Young Scientist Grant Programme for 2025 is underway. The details follow and further information can be found on the IULTCS website https://iultcs.org/ or by contacting the IUR chair, Dr Volker Rabe (Volker.rabe@tfl.com).Background:The IULTCS is committed to co-operation between the individual member societies and to providing ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Drowning detection systems for residential pools subject of new standard
F3698 is the first ASTM pool safety standard of its kind. W. Conshohocken, Pa., U.S.A. – ASTM International’s consumer products committee (F15) has developed the first standard, F3698, for computer-vision drowning detection systems for residential swimming pools.The devices covered in F3698 offer a variety of drowning saf ...moreFrom lectures to life-saving skills - transforming safety training with Hazard Parks
Randburg, Gauteng, SA – Hazard Parks offer an innovative and practical solution for, companies seeking to prioritise employee safety and well-being in high-risk industries. The constant challenge for most organisations lies in ensuring that their employees are not only aware of safety protocols but are also equipped to handle real-l ...moreHydrogen technology: Compact power plants for green hydrogen
Dresden, Germany (01 July 2024) - Hydrogen generated with the power of the sun could largely replace fossil fuels in the future, helping to lower carbon emissions. In the Neo-PEC joint research project, Fraunhofer specialists have developed a tandem module that is self-sufficient and reliable at producing solar-generated green hydrogen.Hy ...more
