S&V African Leather Magazine Vol17 No5 May 2023
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
05 An Eclectic View
- Chromium VI update 2023. The tanning industry, especially in Europe, needs to fight a political battle if it is to remain viable, writes H. Procter.
08 Sustainability
- Sustainable Leather Foundation awarded contract from Joint Action SIPS to support improvement and development in the SADC region, writes MD Deborah Taylor
10 New Products
- MK Quimica’s Bioderm MK ALV: A safe replacement for sodium chlorite.
12 Occupational Health & Safety
- UNIDO safety course for leather industry.
13 Notice Board
- Kenya appoints board for KLDC ‘to steer economic transformation agenda’.
- Obituary: Shelagh Davy, veteran editor who made a difference.
- George Kotze appointed COO of Reho Meat Processors.
- Julian Osgood takes over as communication head for IULTCS.
15 Exotics
- Croc farm cruelty case to go ahead: SACIA says law must follow its course.
16 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
17 Trade Statistics
- SA hides, skins and leather trade statistics for March 2023, issued by SARS
Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (02), Cape Karoo International (04), Evolution Engineering (01), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (11), Mimosa (09), Rolfes Leather Division (07), S&V Calendar (14), S&V Directory (10), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (06), Stahl (OFC), Sustainable Leather Foundation (03).
The Next Issue
- The May issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 07 June. The deadline for contributions is 31 May.
- CHROMIUM VI UPDATE 2023
The tanning industry, especially in Europe, needs to fight a political battle if it is to remain viableBy H. ProcterThe industry finds itself in a situation that it has never seen before. The science surrounding the future use of chromium salts seems to be irrelevant. At the moment, the science assessed by the European Chemical Associatio ...moreSustainable Leather Foundation awarded contract from Joint Action SIPS to support improvement and development in the SADC region
On 26 April the Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) announced the successful completion of a tender process with the Joint Action Support towards Industrialization and the Productive Sectors in the SADC region (SIPS) project to support sustainable and environmental compliance for the leather value chain in the Southern African Developmen ...moreObituary: Shelagh Davy - Veteran editor who made a difference
Hastings, East Sussex, UK – Retired former editor of Leather International, Shelagh Davy, died on 17 April, aged 79.In an obituary in International Leather Maker, Martin Ricker, her successor at LI, now content director at ILM, wrote: “I succeeded Shelagh Davy as Editor of Leather International in 2009 after working for her on ...moreChange at IULTCS
I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of a recent change at IULTCS. The International Union of Liaison and Communication Commission (IUL) Chairman, Dr Christine Anscombe, after many years of dedicated service to the Society, has decided to take a step back from the role. The IULTCS committee has appointed me, Julian Osgood, ...moreUNIDO safety course for leather industry
Creating safe and sustainable supply chains for leather workers: UNIDO launches new Occupational Safety and Health course targeting the leather manufacturing sector. Acting together to build a positive safety and health culture – a safe and healthy working environment is a fundamental principle and right at work. ...moreMK Quimica: Bioderm MK ALV - Safe replacement for sodium chloriteBoksburg, Gauteng, SA - Bioderm MK ALV, made by MK Quimica in Brazil and represented in SA by Rolfes Chemicals, provides cleaner, more bluish and equalized leathers, improving the appearance of the leather surface, and is the best technological alternative to replace the use of sodium chlorite in tanneries. Why replace sodium chlorite? Pr ...moreKenya appoints board for KLDC ‘to steer economic transformation agenda’Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenyan Government has appointed a new board of directors for the Kenya Leather Development Council (KLDC) for a 3-year period.In a release on its website, the KLDC said Capt. Mohamed Abdikadir Adan is the chairperson with effect from 05 April, 2023.“Capt. Adan and his new team will steer the Council, in re ...moreSACIA says law must follow its course - Croc farm cruelty case to go aheadThe National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) is pursuing its case against a Limpopo-based crocodile farm for cruelty to animals.The case dates back to 2021, when the NSPCA “received reports of severe animal cruelty” at the farm.NSPCA inspectors “found carcasses of juvenile crocodiles ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Effects 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 ...moreThe Chinese sports brand taking on Nike and Adidas
Chinese sportswear brand Anta counts Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu among its brand ambassadorsChina's economy was just starting to open up in the late 1980s when a determined high school dropout made his way to Beijing with 600 pairs of shoes.Ding Shizhong had them made in a relative's factory and now he was going to sell them. The mo ...moreObituary: Vic Jablowski, BUSM, Protech V (03/09/1953-11/12/2025): One of those who survived BU’s closure
Durban, KZN, SA – My dad – was AMAZING.Born in 1953, he married Evelyn in 1979. My sister, Luanne Hough, was born in 1980, and I followed in 1983.A family man who made sure he supported his family in the most wonderful ways; he was also a loyal company man who worked most of his life for British United Shoe Machinery.But when ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- African leather businesses holding LWG and SLF ratingsAs African leather manufacturers strive to grow their exports, the number which have qualified for ratings by the Leather Working Group (LWG) and the Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) is growing.By country, LWG lists the following:Algeria: Sarl Tannerie Ain FakrounBurkina Faso: Mona Industry SARL.Egypt: El Montaza Tannery, Piel Color C ...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 ...moreLEATHER’S ELEMENTARY UNIT
Geoff Attenburrow’s PhD student David M. Wright worked on the behaviour of leather under strain (Attenburrow, 1993; Wright, 1996). They were the first to describe that leather had a “co-operating unit”, a set of structures within leather that helped the leather to resist breaking and to resist deformation at low strain.T ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- China-made firefighting equipment now needs verification of conformity with SANS standardsPretoria, Gauteng, SA – Firefighting equipment is among the 25 product categories published on 01 April by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for a mandatory Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) Programme.The system will require certain goods shipped from China to be tested and certified before they enter the ...moreWhat if the respirator you rely on to protect your health never sealed properly?
I had the opportunity to present at the first PPE Conference in RSA, where I shared some early work we) have been exploring towards developing respirator designs better suited to the South African population.Below is a short AI-generated summary of the core message of the presentation.Respirators are often the last line of defence against ...moreSA's first PPE conference draws top speakers
The 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 ...more
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