S&V African Leather Magazine Vol18 No1 January 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
02 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
04 Upfront
- Hides, skins and semi-processed leathers: Starting with a positive mindset, says Cape Produce Company director Greg Feinberg.
- Exotics: Ostrich leather and feathers are benefitting from strong relationship with brands, says SA Ostrich Business Chamber CEO Piet Kleyn.
- Education: Industry members against the decision to shut down the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies at the University of Northampton are planning a meeting, writes SATRA assistance director Dr Christine Anscombe.
08 Load Shedding
- Mossop Leather has overcome load shedding, and other tanneries are following similar paths.
11 An Eclectic View
- Non-fossil dyes – a look at the alternatives, by H. Procter.
12 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
13 Sustainability
- Successful audits for Namibian tanneries, and plans for more projects in Africa – by Sustainable Leather Foundation MD Deborah Taylor.
- Synthetic wigs, weaves and extensions given new life in a new project by Alisam Products Development founder Newton Owino.
17 Notice Board
- Obituary for former Boehme Africa MD and CEO Dietmar Theilig.
20 Trade Statistics
- South African hides, skins and leather exports and imports for November 2023, compiled by SA Revenue Services.
Advertisers in this Issue
APLF (03), Authenticae (05), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (07), Mimosa (10), Rolfes Leather Division (OFC), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (15), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (09), Sustainable Leather Foundation (02).
The Next Issue
- The February issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 14 February. The deadline for contributions is 7 February.
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- Ostrich leather and feathers benefit from strong relationships with brands
Oudtshoorn, W. Cape, SA – The South African ostrich industry has had a sustained 2-year period of mostly good news, much of it due to its own diligence, according to SA Ostrich Business Chamber (SAOBC) CEO Piet Kleyn.“Post-covid, we’re in a better state than we’ve been for some years,” he said.Leather and fea ...moreMossop Leather has overcome load shedding, and other tanneries are following similar paths
Columnist H. Procter wrote about solar power in the November issue, noting that it could both address sustainability issues and free tanneries from load shedding.“I had a call with Mossop Leather MD Gert Kruger after we published that article,” he wrote. “He told me it was possible to get all electricity needs with some ...moreSuccessful Audits for Namibian Tanneries
Last year SLF was awarded a contract to work in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, under the Joint Action Support towards Industrialisation and Productive Section (SIPS). Under the contract SLF implemented a 5 step programme to support the tanneries in the region with training and audit certification to meet interna ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humourAs a new year gift, Sam Setter has again given us TWO pills for this issue.I am flabbergasted to read in the November newsletter of Leather Naturally that it is ‘difficult due to global unrest and tension to remain mindful of the important role that we can play in helping to preserve our planet’, and ‘our minds here at L ...moreHides, skins and semi-processed leathers : Starting with a positive mindsetHow has the closure of Midland Tannery affected your business? The tannery operated in very different markets to ourselves; as such there haven't been any significant effects.Do you expect domestic demand for wet blue hides to grow or drop this year? We always hope to see growth in the local market, it’s a key part of our business; ...morePush back against University of Northampton’s plan to scrap leather education : Meeting planned for 24 JanuaryKettering, UK – As you are probably aware the future of leather education in the UK and globally is under severe threat with the recent announcement by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Northampton of her intention to close the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies (ICLT) – see letter below that we received at SAT ...moreNON-FOSSIL DYESA dyestuff is usually an organic molecule that absorbs light and then emits that light at a frequency that is detectable to the human eye. In other words, it emits light in the visual light spectrum - this is why people say they are coloured. Technically, a dyestuff can be uncoloured, and it is called coloured because it emits light in th ...moreSynthetic wigs, weaves and extensions given new life in KenyaKenyan entrepreneur, tanner and industrial chemist Newton Owino, who founded and owns fish skin tannery and footwear/ leather goods manufacturer Alisam Products Development & Design, has been working on a project to recycle synthetic hair extensions and wigs. ...moreHe had the vision to start local production, and expand into Africa : Obituary: Dietmar Theilig - Boehme Africa (now DyStar Africa) (12/05/1938-30/11/2023)Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA – It is with sadness that we learnt of the passing of Dietmar Theilig, the former Managing Director of Boehme Africa.I met Dietmar 35 years ago when I was headhunted and appointed as a leather technician. At the time, Boehme Africa was a major role player in the textile and leather industries in Southern Af ...moreShort summary on the life history of Gerhard Dietmar Theilig : Obituary: Dietmar Theilig - Boehme Africa (now DyStar Africa) (12/05/1938-30/11/2023)Born 12th May 1938 in Leipzig-Moeckern. Confirmed on 10.05 1952 at Pfarramt Der Luthergemeinde, Crimmitschau. He had 1 sister, Ursula, who was 7 years younger than himself.His father was in the textile trade and supplied the wool fabric for the army winter coats, and they lived at the army barracks in Leipzig.His father was accused of ind ...moreSA hides, skins, and leather trade statistics for November 2023Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (29 December 2023) – Source: SARS.Including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN)Cumulative tradeTrade balance R'm (557 867 005)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.88Monthly tradeTrade balance R'm (91 683 982)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.82ExportsMonth % of total 0.23Cumulative 2022 (R'm) 3 794 ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- The future of workers in India’s footwear and apparel factories is uncertain, as growing competition from Shein’s re-entry into India with lower-priced merchandise intensifies
07 January 2025 – Shein, the Chinese fast-fashion brand, is re-entering the Indian market through a partnership with Reliance’s Ajio platform, as reported by media outlets. The brand had been banned in 2020, alongside other Chinese apps, due to geopolitical tensions. Known for its affordable and trendy fashion delivered at rap ...more“De Minimis” exemption removal — what it means for Shein, Temu & Amazon haul
Recent changes to the “de minimis” exemption, which previously allowed packages under $800 to enter the U.S. tax-free, have raised concerns about the future of fast fashion giants Shein and Temu, as well as Amazon’s newest entrant into the market, Amazon Haul. But what’s really at play ...moreWhat to do about Temu and Shein: SA’s apparel retailers look to government, and even Trump, to slow the flood
It’s quite funny, really.Seldom have so many South African apparel retailers been as united as they are in their opposition to twin international threats, ecommerce retailers Temu and Shein, while simultaneously, many of their own managements and staffs – and their families – are not-so-secret customers of those same ent ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Leather & Hide Council of America backs Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus
Stay Slow. Stay Real. Enjoy the Journey.03 December 2024 – The Leather and Hide Council of America (LHCA) has pledged its support to the Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus. The caucus, founded by district of Maine congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Washington district’s Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and California's Sydney Kamlager-Dove ...moreUpdate on FMD outbreak in E. Cape and KZNPretoria, Gauteng, SA (20 December 2024) – Currently, there are 2 Provinces with ongoing foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks, while all other FMD outbreaks have been resolved and closed with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).Eastern Cape Province The outbreak in the Eastern Cape Province remains stable, with no new ...moreState eyes Sh175bn annually from revamped leather industryBusiness DailyNairobi, Kenya (06 January 2025) – The State is eyeing a Sh175 billion annual turnover from a revamped leather industry, up from the current Sh15 billion, a top official said.Deputy president Kithure Kindiki, while inspecting work on the planned Kinanie Leather Park in Machakos County on Monday, said the leather indust ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Standard socks could shock: The hidden danger in anti-static work environments
Pinetown, KZN, SA – In any environment where the build-up of static electricity has been determined to be a risk, anti-static footwear must be worn. Anti-static footwear is designed to help dissipate the accumulation of static electricity from the body while still providing a reasonable level of resistance to electrical hazards from ...moreFunctionally integrated lightweight design in electric mobility: EV battery enclosures with lower carbon emissions
Chemnitz, Germany (02 September 2024) – More charging power, higher range, lower environmental impact: In the COOLBat joint research project, researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU have teamed up with partners to develop next-generation battery enclosures for electric vehicles. Th ...moreCircular economy: Fungal mycelium as the basis for sustainable products
Potsdam, Germany (02 September 2024) – Fungi have more to offer than meets the eye. Their thread-like cells, which grow extensively and out of sight underground like a network of roots, offer huge potential for producing sustainable, biodegradable materials. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP in ...more
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