S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol82 No3 March 2019
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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).
Footwear Industry Articles
- The Road Ahead: A forecast for South Africa’s footwear and leather goods industriesDurban, KZN, SA – The South African footwear and leather goods industries are navigating a challenging yet potentially transformative period. Shaped by a mix of longstanding hurdles and emerging opportunities, their future remains uncertain as the global market continues to shift rapidly in the wake of COVID-19. While difficulties p ...moreThe Complete Shoemaker – and GolferObituary: Michael Lambrakis – Scotts Group, Frame Group, Poly-Soles, OG Footwear, Kalistos Footwear, Lambella Footwear, Andreoli Shoes, ShoePairMarket (04/04/1945-20/09/2024) ...moreCan reduced VAT revitalize France’s shoe repair craft?The French parliament has recently reduced VAT on repairs for shoes, leather goods, textiles, and bicycles from 20% to 5.5%, a move expected to support sustainability, local artisans, and potentially revitalize a declining industry. This decision, reported by World Footwear on November 6, 2024, raises questions about its potenti ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- LULUC: Explaining the link between deforestation and the leather industryLand use and land use change (LULUC) refers to the study area in general – that is the study of how global land use change (commonly through human intervention) results in increased atmospheric emissions. The obvious emission is that if the forest is burnt, the emissions are directly released into the atmosphere. However, the change ...moreHide demand steady amid growing global supply, gelatine plants absorbing higher number of lower gradesThe picture I get of the leather industry globally is that it is losing share in all its markets for a variety of reasons. In South Africa, the situation is compounded by cash-strapped consumers choosing cheaper alternatives. Cape Produce Company is at the beginning of the leather process, and it supplies all leather markets in SA and internationally. I asked CEO Benjy Lapiner if the picture is as bleak as I’m told. No, he said, but… ...moreRolfes Leather: New owners give it entrée to more African marketsBoksburg, Gauteng, SA – Rolfes Leather and the other 4 divisions which collectively make up the Rolfes Group have been acquired by the Solevo Group, a pan-African distributor of specialty chemicals.In a statement, Solevo said it had bought 100% of Rolfes Group in a deal backed by Solevo’s owner, London-based Development Partne ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- MBA North members place in top 4 of every category in MBSA National Safety Competition – againMaster Builders Association North (MBA North) members have continued their multi-year winning streak by being placed in the top four of every category in the 2024 Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) National Safety Competition (NSC) – the flagship event for health and safety in the building industry.Gerhard Roets, Health and Safety ...moreTest methods for breathability of infant products focus of new subcommitteeSubcommittee F15.12 aims to fill the gap on breathing hazards for infant products W. Conshohocken, Pa., U.S. (26 September 2024) – ASTM’s consumer products committee (F15) has begun a new subcommittee on Firmness and Breathability of Juvenile Products (F15.12) on infant breathability test methods. The subcommitt ...moreThe importance of supporting local manufacturing to preserve South Africa’s footwear industryPinetown, KZN, SA – At Neptun Safety Footwear, our commitment to local manufacturing goes beyond producing quality footwear—it’s about building a sustainable, self-reliant economy in South Africa. We are passionate about growing local industries, not just for the jobs they create today but for the future they secure for ...more