S&V African Leather Magazine Vol16 No1 January 2022
This Magazine is sponsored by SAFLIA
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IN THIS ISSUE:
3 Sam Setter's Pills
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
03 An Eclectic View
- Making Fly Leather: Claims that it is more environmentally friendly than leather don't stand up, writes H. Procter.
07 Knowledge Transfer, Education & Training
- An introduction to the 10-part series starting in the next issue on an overview of making leather, by Richard Daniels.
09 Sustainability
- Bangladesh: The responsibility of potential. A survey by Deborah Taylor of the Sustainable Leather Foundation.
- Testing, inspection and certification company SGS joins the Sustainable Leather Foundation.
14 Sector Reports
- Automotive leather: Report predicting 'steady growth' for auto leather is wrong, say local firms.
- Fish skin leather: Fish skin leather project by Stellenbosch University proposed to aid W. Cape jobless.
14 Fairs & Conferences
- Revomec is platinum sponsor of the III Eurocongress IULTCS 2022.
15 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
16 Agriculture
- Mobile weed killer for tree nurseries: Research by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Germany is important because it illustrates the pressure on the entire agriculture value chain to become more sustainable.
18 Notice Board
- Obituary: 'A might oak has fallen' - A tribute to ostrich tanner Pieter Yzelle, formerly with KKI and SCOT, by Frik Kriek.
Advertisers in this Issue
ISTT (02), Italtan (01), Mimosa (06), Rolfes Leather Division (04), S&V Directory (13), Skin, Hide & Leather Council (SHALC) (08), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (12), Stahl (OFC).
In The Next Issue
- Can the leather industry do more to help the recovery of local footwear and leather goods manufacturing?
- Out on February 02.
- Bangladesh – The responsibility of potential
Deborah Taylor, MD of the Sustainable Leather Foundation, took part in a Bangladesh International Investment Summit in November. Here she writes about the summit and visits to tanneries and leather goods and footwear manufacturers. ...moreMobile weed killer for tree nurseries
Fraunhofer researchers have collaborated with partners to develop a platform to remove weeds fully automatically. The mobile AMU-Bot robot system navigates using optical sensors and removes weeds mechanically without the need for chemicals. ...moreA mighty oak has fallen - Obituary: Pieter Yzelle, KKI and SCOT (29/09/1949-11/11/2021)
Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA - We pay tribute to a legend in the ostrich industry and the ‘father’ of the SCOT tannery, Pieter Yzelle, who sadly passed away on 11 November 2021. The tannery is a monument to Pieter’s technical and managerial ability as well as his tenacity to reach his goals. ...moreMaking fly-leatherThe product called E-Leather by the company that makes it (it stands for 'leather evolved' or 'engineered leather' - really?) or Fly Leather by Nike, is one of the synthetic products which incorporates leather waste. But the claim that it is therefore more environmentally acceptable than leather doesn't hold up. ...moreReport predicting 'steady growth' for auto leather is wrong, say local firmsSouth Africa's 2 automotive leather tanneries have reacted with scepticism to a report by Market Growth Reports which paints a picture of 'steady growth' for automotive leather globally over the next 5 years. ...moreFish skin leather project proposed to aid W. Cape joblessFinanced by its social impact programme, Stellenbosch University is investigating a fish skin tanning project to assist jobless people in nearby coastal communities. ...moreRevomec is platinum sponsor of the III Eurocongress IULTCS 2022Milling drum manufacturer Revomec is the platinum sponsor company of the III IULTCS EuroCongress Vicenza 2022, to be held from 18-20 September 2022. ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Shlobo Designs: Foreign consumers appreciate handwork and the story behind the brand
Durban, KZN, SA – I’m a native of Umlazi’s K section, but I’ve called Seaview home since 1994.My life has been a tapestry of experiences, woven with threads of resilience, creativity, and unwavering determination. My journey took an unexpected turn when I was retrenched while working for the bank with a wealth expe ...moreObituary: Joe McGinley, Conshu (14/04/1936-20/05/2026) He ran an empire, but kept a human touch
Somerset West, W. Cape, SA – Joseph Pascal McGinley, the former Conshu director who died in May, a month after his 90th birthday, was a larger-than-life character who was renowned during his career in SA for his kindness, and who lived life to the full.Born in Letterkenny, Donegal, Ireland, to Joseph and Madeline McGinley, both doct ...moreDuty evasion, false country of origin and labelling main targets: NCC and SARS ‘sign MoU to strengthen compliance’Media statement issued jointly by the National Consumer Commission (NCC) and SA Revenue Service (SARS)Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (06 May 2026) – The National Consumer Commission (NCC) and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) have concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance consumer protection against the proliferation of ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- David Buirski retires (but we’re sure to hear more from him)
David Buirski, the former South African who edited World Leather from 1993 to 2005, and who continued his involvement with the publication and its offshoots until recently, has finally retired because “having turned 90 last December, I guess it was the sensible thing to do. Thirty-three years could be considered a long time.&rd ...moreLeather Naturally launches new report on sustainable water managementLeather Naturally’s latest educational resource, Sustainable Water Management in the Leather Industry (https://www.leathernaturally.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Leather-Naturally-Sustainable-Water-Management.pdf), is available to download.Developed using insights from recent public consultation, the report explores:* Why water rem ...moreMONEY FROM WASTE
Europe has borne the difficulties and the costs of converting to a bioeconomy – the lessons are there, free, for African businesses to learn and profit from. ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- New OHS regulations coming into force later this year mean PPE needs to be reviewed, too
In March 2025, the Physical Agents Regulations (and their guidelines) and the Noise Exposure Regulations (and their guidelines) of the OHSAct were published, with an 18-month time-period promulgation date to September 2026, allowing employers time to upgrade their Health & Safety requirements to comply with the new published regulatio ...moreStatistical shape modelling for population-specific respirator design: Addressing fit failure in South African populations
Respirators are widely regarded as the last line of defence against hazardous airborne exposures. Whether protecting healthcare workers from tuberculosis, laboratory personnel from infectious samples, or workers exposed to carcinogenic dusts and fumes, respirators are often relied upon when other controls cannot eliminate exposure. This r ...moreUnderstanding local and international PPE standards: Clarity in a complex landscape
Appearances and claims to the contrary, South Africa’s PPE industry “is largely unregulated, and a high percentage of PPE on the market is not compliant with official standards”, uvex Safety SA MD Christo Nel said, “and that’s a problem at many levels, and for the entire value chain”.He said the fundame ...more
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