S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol82 No8 Oct 2019
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Business Barometer
- Sans Singh, FST Manufacturers: Tough year, but some good signs for 2020.
- Fernand Vandenheede, Galabiss: Stick to your costings...we've hit bottom.
- Fiona Borthwick, FSP Collection: No orders in January, now we can't make enough.
- Saeed Bux, Elahi Footwear: Concern that there are no orders for 2020.
Doing Things Differently
- Veldskoen: What's in a name? A group of outsiders show the footwear industry how it's done.
Local Manufacturing
- The DTI's Master Plan: Chains, manufacturers, labour and government 'must work together'.
Opinion about the U.S. market by NPD
- The year in footwear, so far.
- Influencing up: The younger generation's impact on sustainable fashion.
- Women's handbags: The new normal.
- Sneakernomics: Back-to-school 2019 athletic footwear trends.
Online
- Digital marketing - content by Shikaar Mahabir, Activate.
Business Advice
- Special offer advice for your small business by the National Small Business Chamber.
Innovation
- Link: Part sneaker, part flip flop.
- SATRA to show PPE testing capabilities at A+A.
Sustainability and the Environment
- 7.5 tons of vinyl floor off-cuts collected, and most of it will end up in footwear sole units.
African Free Trade Agreement
- 'Get involved in devising standards,' SABS warns footwear manufacturers ahead of African free trade.
African Free Trade Agreement
- Texon highlights sustainability in new products and key appointment.
Company News
- Rugby legend gives Zambian-made Kaleza boots the thumbs up.
Notice Board
- Obituary: Mike Gedye - Always larger than life.
- Obituary: Mark Bennett - Many things to many people.
Advertisers in this Issue
Activate (2), Chillisource/Shoepack (7), Creative Leathergoods Manufacturers (6), Kaytex Belts (8), Mossop Leather (OFC), Strassberger's (9).
- Stick to your costings...we've hit bottom
Fernand Vandenheede, member, Galabiss cc. Unit sole mould manufacturer. Pinetown, KZN, SA - It's been a tough year, but there's still work to be had. The weak Rand has helped exports, and I'm currently cheaper than China. Overall, it's been fairly good. You have to be more efficient, and you have to stick to your guns. Do your costin ...moreNo orders in January - now we can't make enough
Fiona Borthwick, MD, FSP Collection (Pty) Ltd. Handbag manufacturer.Cape Town, W Cape, SA - So far, we're down on last year. If you talk to me at the end of December, we'll probably be on par. When we opened in January, there were no orders. People said we had to wait for the outcome of the elections in May, and from June, orders started ...moreVeldskoen
What's in a name? A group of outsiders show the footwear industry how it's done.It's probably fair to say that Digital Online Retail Platforms (DORP) - better known as Veldskoen - is South Africa's first global footwear brand. The genius of its creators has been to take a generic South African name, tap into an international market create ...moreMany things to many people
Obituary: Mark Stephen Bennett, African Cotton, Textiles & Apparel Monitor, (23/07/1960-26/08/2019) By Simon Reed, Accounting & Financial ServicesIt is with much sadness that I have been asked to write this. My friend, Mark Bennett, died in Accra, Ghana on 26 August, totally unexpectedly of a heart attack. I met Mark wa ...moreAlways larger than life
Obituary: Mike Gedye, MD, Michelle Footwear (04/03/1950-25/09/2019) It was my first day of school in South Africa. That was the 4th term of 1963 and a good-looking blonde guy walked up to me, extended his hand and said “Hi, I'm Mike Gedye”. We sat next to each other throughout our Grosvenor High School years, often swappi ...moreRugby legend gives Zambian-made Kaleza boots the thumbs up
Lusaka, Zambia – Former England Rugby Union International and World Cup winner Jason Leonard has been knocked sideways by the quality of locally produced Kaleza football boots. The popular Z-12 boots made by Zambeef division Zamleather are already scoring hits with players across the country. Now they have caught the attention of th ...moreTexon highlights sustainability in new products and key appointment
Hong Kong – Texon has launched 2 new products where environmental considerations are a key factor. Texon describes itself as "a market leader in the development of eco-friendly, structural materials for the global footwear industry". It manufactures insole, toe puff and heel counter materials. In July, it launched Texon Vu ...moreGet involved in devising standards - SABS tells manufacturers ahead of African free trade
The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the side-lines of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) week 2019 to formalise their commitment to collaborate on all standards related matters, including standards development and recognising South Africa as an inspection services provider for the implementation of the Botswana Standards (import inspection) regulations. ...moreTough year, but some good signs for 2020Sans Singh, MD, FQ Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd t/a FST Manufacturers. Manufacturer of webbing & tapes, zips, elastic shoelace & cord, trims and distributor of fabric, hook & loop tape, metal & plastic trims.Durban, KZN, SA - By comparison with last year, the number of orders have reduced, and quantities on the orders are signi ...moreConcern that there are no orders for 2020Saeed Bux, MD, Elahi Footwear (Pty) Ltd. Moccasin and stitchdown footwear manufacturer.Durban, KZN, SA - Our turnover is significantly down. We're affected the same as everyone else by the fact that consumers have no money. Added to that is that industrial relations are difficult. We're keeping our prices as low as possible and our margin ...moreThe DTI's Master Plan: Chains, manufacturers, labour and government 'must work together'7-point plan to grow local manufacturing<br>A final version of the DTI-sponsored 'R-CTFL Value Chain Master Plan to 2030' is nearing completion, according to Dr Jaywant Irkhede, director: leather & footwear at the DTI. Drawn up by Dr Justin Barnes of B&M Analysts for the DTI, the objectives are to, "by 2030, grow R-CTFL ...moreThe year in footwear, so farReports primarily about the US market by analytical company NPD.It’s been tough going for footwear (and for retail in general) in 2019. Adjusted for the extra week in January 2018, U.S. Footwear dollar sales are down -1% year-to-date through May, after growth of +8% year-to-date last year*. Business continues to shift away from majo ...moreInfluencing up: The younger generation's impact on sustainable fashionLike many of you, I’ve been inspired by the Global Climate Strike movement led by 16-year-old Greta Thunberg. As awestruck as I am with her, I can’t help but think what was I doing at 16-years-old to help mankind? At that age, the only time I really thought about the climate is if it was too humid and my hair would frizz ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- The key to a long life - a zest for living
Obituary: William ‘Bill’ Ramage – King Tanning, Apeco (01/05/1931-19/07/2024) ...moreBack to Amazon, up with prices — is Nike’s comeback plan enough?
Nike has now reported its fourth straight quarter of declining year-over-year sales. To stop the slide, it’s making two major moves — selling directly on Amazon again and raising prices on select products. These strategies may offer a short-term lift, but deeper challenges remain.Returning to Amazon connects Nike to over 230 m ...moreFollowing Trump’s tariff hikes, can mass shoe production actually be moved to the US? The answer is – it’s not that simple.President Trump’s escalation on Wednesday with the announcement of sweeping reciprocal tariffs have sparked a lot of questions and concerns among the footwear industry.One of these questions that are top of mind for many is: how realistic is it to bring shoe manufacturing back to the States? The answer is – it’ ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Rwanda plans tannery parkKigali, Rwanda – According to an article in The New Times on 08 April, Rwanda is to establish a tannery park, including a centralised effluent treatment plant, to service more than 1 tannery.The planned tannery park is to be in the Bugesera Industrial Zone, about 50 kilometres from Kigali.The Times reported that the Leather Value Ch ...moreHow do you know where to go, if you don’t know where you are?
Many organisations feel disadvantaged by not having access to the latest international standards and expectations, nor the information and tools to assist them with how they can achieve the standards required.This is something that SLF has a mission to support – ensuring that any organisation, irrespective of size and scope, can ben ...moreCOMESA launches leather value chain strategy to boost regional industrialisation
Nairobi, Kenya (02 April 2025) – In a landmark move to accelerate Africa’s industrialization, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has unveiled its Leather Value Chain Strategy 2025–2029.The high-profile launch, held in Nairobi, brought together government officials, development partners, private se ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Understanding respirator PPE
The subject of Respirator Personal Protective Equipment is confusing until one understands the basic concept requirements.OHS Act defines Respiratory Protective Equipment as a device which is worn over at least the mouth and nose to prevent the inhalation of air borne hazardous chemical substances and which is of a type or conforms to a s ...moreLengthy detentions: That’s just the way it is, says NCCS&V Protect asked the National Consumer Commission to comment on Treadsafe’s experience, and also whether other containers have been detained. Jabu Mbeje, Divisional Head: Enforcement & Legal Services, at the NCC, sent this response: ...moreSwitch to updated standard: Footwear suppliers given time limit to run out old stockPretoria, Gauteng, SA – Safety footwear suppliers have until April 2026 to sell stock made to the 2014 edition of SA National Standard (SANS) 20345.The National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS) confirmed this at a stakeholder meeting on 11 March.The SA National Standard (SANS) for safety footwear in South Africa was upgrade ...more
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