IN THIS ISSUE:

Business Barometer
- Attie Els, Els Agencies: Will the industry survive long enough to see the upturn?
- Hadley Craig, Cape Knife Cutting: Develop and diversify, or die.
- Tavonga Gonyora, Dick Whittington Shoes: Hoping for post-election confidence.
- Keith Baptista, agent: We need to sell what sells.
- Barry Selby, The Athlete's Foot: On balance, business is improving.
- Stephan Ncube, agent: Opportunities for a good year.

Opinion from NPD in the U.S.
- E-commerce in sports retail.
- What really happened with athletic footwear and activewear sales in 2018

Doing things differently
- A new series. In this first article, Graeme Tuck of Durban-based retailer/wholesaler Blueberry Blush describes the business's journey so far.

Business News
- Botswana start-up Armadilloz is looking to partner with local company.
- Borage diversifies into leather lamination.
- Bolton Footwear sports brand maintains partnership with SA Hockey.
- Sneaker retailer Vosk to do trial order with Tego Footwear.

Counterfeit
- Footwear accounts for over 20% of global counterfeit product, says statistical service Statista.

Exports
- Sourcing Journal reports that E Cape EPZ 'is a potential new global apparel source'.

Zimbabwe
- Inflation hits apparel.
- Chinese group 'considering shoe factory in Bulawayo'

Technology
- Scientists develop first fabric to automatically cool or insulate depending on conditions.

Notice Board
- SAFLEC's Louise Pelser, retiring at the end of May, looks back at her time in the industry.



Advertisers in this Issue
Dick Whittington Shoes/Johnston & Murphy (3), Europa Art Group/Clarks (OFC), Intershu/Bounce Max (2), Katz Footwear/Willow men's (5), Kaytex Belts (11), Strassberger's (12).