S&V African Leather Magazine Vol16 No1 January 2022
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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 potentialDeborah 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 nurseriesFraunhofer 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. ...more
Footwear Industry Articles
- Tshepo opens new store at Mall of AfricaJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA (02 June 2026) — South African fashion brand Tshepo has opened its second store at Mall of Africa.Tshepo, founded by Tshepo Mohlala in Victoria Yards 10 years ago, specialises in locally made denim jeans.“Victoria Yards remains central to Tshepo's identity, serving as the bran ...moreEffects of AI in developing the relationship between feet and footwear (part 1)Historically, theoretically and practically, our feet have played a significant role in the connection of the body to mother earth. We know that the foot is a hardy, adaptable and biomechanically efficient part of the anatomy, such that little else is required to ensure maximum traction, propulsion, stability, cushioning, shock absorption ...moreObituary: Joe McGinley, Conshu (14/04/1936-20/05/2026) He ran an empire, but kept a human touchSomerset 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 ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Kenya announces $39 million investment to strengthen livestock productionKenya plans to launch a 5 billion-shilling ($38.6 million) investment program to modernize its livestock sector and strengthen one of the country's most important rural industries.President William Ruto announced the initiative on June 1 during a visit to Wajir County in northern Kenya.According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the program ...moreSARLEN aims for business and regulatory advocacy for the leather value chain across SADCThe formation of the Southern African Regional Leather Network (SARLEN) is a process to formalise a voice for commercial, entrepreneurial and developmental associations in the leather value chain (LVC) for the region.The leather value chain has been recognised in SADC as a key entrepreneurial opportunity that can adjust to the scale of th ...moreDavid 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 ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Protecting the workforce: The critical role of PPEPersonal 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 ...moreSA's first PPE conference draws top speakersThe Safety First Association and SAPEMA hosted SA’s first PPE conference in March, cramming 20 papers into a 2-day event, which also featured a number of PPE supplier stands. Here, we carry edited versions of 7 of them to illustrate the diversity of the topics. We expect to carry more in the next edition.As several speakers pointed ...moreThe legal ramifications: PPE and the law: Ignore at your peril?There’s no shortage of legislation covering employee safety in South Africa, but as in so much else, the enforcement is poor.In terms of our laws, the death of an employee (or anyone else) in a work situation, caused by negligence, is treated as culpable homicide. An injury caused by negligence is also a criminal act – that, b ...more
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