S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol82 No3 March 2019
This Magazine is sponsored by SAFLIA
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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).
PRICE:TBA
PRICE:TBA
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Footwear Industry Articles
- Stokies: New owner plans to resurrect a homegrown brandScottburgh, KZN, SA – Trendy Shoes, a KZN South Coast retailer which also has its own footwear factory producing footwear for its own 3 stores, bought the long-established but run-down brand, Stokies, from Faulks Footwear, which has now closed. Hussain Khan answers our questions.What attracted you to Stokies?What attracted us to Sto ...moreManufacturer-buyer event: Among the manufacturer comments
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 ...moreA perspective: Perhaps it was an eye-opener for industry players to hear each otherLooking back over the workshop, BMA consultant Justin Snelling wrote: “In terms of our reflections of the workshop, we covered a lot of territory. Perhaps though what was most encouraging was the breadth of participation from different segments of the sector and their willingness, or even excitement, to contribute. We don’t ta ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Nigeria’s Leather Industry: Not a clear picture
Nigeria is widely accepted as having a very large livestock population, but a relatively small tanning industry, much of it concentrated in Kano, producing high grade goat- and sheepskin crust which is exported for finishing elsewhere for use in garments.Recent articles cast some doubt on this, so are Nigeria’s hides and skins: M ...moreLuxury or notWe hear from all sides that the leather industry is not doing too well and the conflict in the Middle East is definitely not improving the situation. The present wars have a huge impact on inflation and hence on the buying power of consumers with negative consequences for the luxury industry whose shares we have seen tumbling at the vario ...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 ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Performance testing: Building credibility in the modern apparel and footwear market
The lines between protective wear, sportswear, outdoor apparel, wellness clothing and everyday fashion continue to blur. Consumers increasingly expect garments and footwear to deliver more than style alone. Whether purchasing workwear, running apparel, outdoor footwear, school shoes or everyday casual products, buyers now look for comfort ...moreProtecting 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 ...moreIndoor air quality monitoring: protecting people, processes, and productivity in South Africa
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is becoming an increasingly important topic across South Africa as industries place greater focus on occupational safety, environmental controls, and operational reliability. While air quality concerns were once mainly associated with mining, heavy industry, or healthcare environments, businesses across multiple s ...more
