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
- How FootJoy’s superbly crafted shoes influenced my life
An Informative & Nostalgic Letter written in April 2025 to two executives at Acushnet (USA) – A leading golf corporation which includes FootJoy Shoes.RE: FootJoy & II recall the very first pair of FootJoy golf shoes my late father bought for me in July 1976. This wasn’t my first interaction with the brand that I had al ...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 ...moreTshepo opens new store at Mall of Africa
Johannesburg, 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 ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- SARLEN – the journey so far
SARLEN was guided by a model policy framework for the leather value chain, adopted by all member states in 2023. It was supported by Deutsche Zusammenarbeit (German Cooperation), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with the SADC Secretariat as the principal sponsor.The building blocks are ass ...moreMobilising Africa’s natural livestock resource to reinvigorate the regional leather value chain
Africa possesses one of the world’s largest livestock populations, yet the continent captures only a fraction of the value generated from leather and leather-based products. From cattle in the East and South Africa, to goats and sheep across North Africa, the continent’s abundant livestock resource represents not only a source ...moreImproving the strength and softness of crust leather through pressure treatment
IntroductionRetanning and fatliquoring have a major impact on the characteristics of leather, whereas dyeing and the finishing concentrate on the appearance of the leather. Various retanning agents and fatliquoring agents have been developed to improve the softness and mechanical strength of leather, parameters that are important to the b ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- JCB Footwear steps into a new eraJCB Footwear has announced the relaunch of its product range in South Africa, marking a new chapter for the brand in partnership with newly appointed distributor, Kaliber Safety Footwear, which is no stranger to the industry with its own successful range of safety and security footwear products.The relaunch introduces an entirel ...morePremier Workwear: Engineered protection for Africa’s industrial workforce
In high-risk industrial environments, protective clothing is far more than a uniform requirement — it is a critical component of workplace safety, operational reliability and regulatory compliance. For procurement professionals, safety managers and operational leaders, selecting the right supplier means finding a partner capable of ...moreOccupational noise-induced hearing loss ‘is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world’
Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world*. 16% of all disabling hearing loss in adults is due to noise exposure.It’s also expensive. According to one study, it costs US$242 million in annual compensation in the USA. In the UK, the typical cost per claim in the is £ ...more
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