S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No1 January 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Profile
- Groundcover: The rise of the second generation, by Daniel McCarthy.
05 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Footwear entering USA declines sharply.
- Adidas achieves equilibrium with a 50/50 balance between in-store and e-commerce sales.
- UGG accused by PETA of misleading marketing.
- India and South Africa’s footwear markets today – a tale of contrasting fortunes.
12 Sustainability
- From the BBC: How to choose the right sneakers, shoes and boots – and make them last. .
17 Business
- How can African businesses ensure they benefit from evolving online payments?
19 Counterfeit Protection
- Origify from Bosch gives sneakers and other products a digital fingerprint as protection against counterfeits.
20 Notice Board
- Retired: Trevor Espey – ‘The Top Agent’ goes surfing fulltime.
- Obituary: Allan ‘Shaky’ Norman, NR Footwear – Cobbles is his legacy.
- Obituary: Cecil Fenwick, Saddler Belts – He cared.
- Obituary: Lou Jonck, Royal Adhesives – A team player.
- Obituary: Roley Rogers, agent – The hardest working man you could hope to meet.
23 Trade Statistics
- South Africa: November imports and exports of footwear and accessories, provided by SARS.
Advertisers in this Issue
APLF Fashion Access (02), APLF Materials + (04), Arena Trims (07), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (OFC), Haesloop Agencies (09), Kaytex Belts (11), Leather Finishing Products (14), Partisan & Co/Palladium/Ben Sherman (01), Saddler Belts (05), SAFLEC (08), S&V Calendar (15), S&V Directory (23), Seadoone Shoes/Solite (18), Shotland Packing (16).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 16 February 2024.
- Groundcover: The rise of the second generation
The Midlands, KZN, SA – 2023 was a big year for Groundcover.The business was founded by my parents, Amanda and Justin McCarthy, in the KZN midlands in 1990.What started as a passion for leatherwork has since grown into a sensibly sized and sustainable business that employs 30 individuals.What has been key to our success is the commu ...moreAdidas achieves equilibrium with a 50/50 balance between in-store and e-commerce sales
Adidas, a dominating force in the sportswear and footwear sector, has successfully achieved a perfect equilibrium, with an equal split between traditional brick-and-mortar and cutting-edge e-commerce sales, as outlined in a recent report by Retail Brew. The intriguing question arises: what factors could have propelled this surge in o ...moreUGG accused of misleading marketing
Pressure group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has unleashed its fury by levelling accusations against Ugg.Through a cease-and-desist letter addressed to Ugg, PETA called out the company for what it claims to be “misleading” clients with “marketing claims” aimed at assuring consumers that its ani ...moreIndia and South Africa’s footwear markets today — a tale of contrasting fortunes
The state of a country’s footwear industry often mirrors its economic health, and the contrast between India and South Africa is stark. India proudly flaunts a thriving footwear sector, while South Africa grapples with an industry in distress, showcasing the profound impact economic conditions have on shaping destinies. ...moreHow to choose the right sneakers, shoes and boots – and make them last
How long does a pair of boots last? For the Princess of Wales, nearly two decades and counting. Her favourite tassled riding boots by Penelope Chilvers recently featured in Netflix's The Crown worn by the young student Kate (played by Meg Bellamy) at university. They were first worn in public by Kate Middleton in 2004, and ...moreHow can African businesses ensure they benefit from evolving online payments?
Payment solution offerings are advancing at a rate of knots, especially with the integration of technologies like AI, biometrics, and voice payments. No longer is it an option for small-scale businesses to offer their wares online without the ability for consumers to pay for their goods via a web-based portal.In fact, Pricewaterhouse ...moreOrigify from Bosch gives sneakers and other products a digital fingerprint as protection against counterfeiter
We have published releases about Origify previously – in S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Vol. 89 No. 09, September 2023, and in S&V Protect Vol. 17 No. 3, illustrating its use in protecting designer handbags and medical/pharmaceutical products respectively. This release from Bosch illustrates its use protecting manufacturers of high-priced sneakers. ...moreRetired: Trevor Espey ‘The Top Agent’ goes surfing fulltime
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Former Western Cape agent for Brite Reef Swimwear, Spike Apparel and Sterling Clothing, Trevor Espey, has retired after 43 years as an agent.“In the early years, I represented Hang Ten in the Cape and later controlled the brand within SA Franchising,” he wrote. “What a long, lovely story. M ...moreObituary: Allan ‘Shaky’ Norman – Sandals Ltd, Jardine Footwear, NR Footwear (15/06/1945-13/12/2023) Cobbles is his legacy
Allan (Shaky) Norman died, aged 78, in Bournemouth, UK, on 13 December. He was born in 1945 at 26 Townsend St, Waterfoot, Rossendale, where he lived until emigrating to South Africa in 1973 to work for Shoe Corporation, Durban. When Shoe Corp. closed, he moved to Pietermaritzburg to start Sandals Ltd. with Jeff Adley for Eddels and ...moreHe cared : Obituary: Cecil John Fenwick – Saddler Belt & Leathercraft (09/07/1942-17/12/2023)
My father, Cecil John Fenwick, was born in Eshowe, Zululand, in 1942. He was the son of a magistrate and the family moved around to various towns during his early school career. These towns were mainly in the countryside where people become close friends and family was important. He spent many happy years fishing and hunting with his dogs ...moreA team player : Obituary: Lodewyk Marthinus ‘Lou’ Jonck – Royal Adhesives (26/09/1951-26/12/2023)
It is with regret that we inform the footwear industry of the passing of Lou Jonck in the late hours of the 25th December 2023 at the age of 72. Lou spent the majority of his life in Port Elizabeth where he established himself as a knowledgeable and well-liked man.Lou joined Royal Adhesive Industries in 2019 representing the organisation ...moreThe hardest working man you could hope to meet
Obituary: Roland ‘Roley’ Rogers – Bata SA, commission agent (11/09/1938-23/01/2024) Roley was born in Kuruman in the Northern Cape and was educated at CBC in Kimberly.He was an outstanding sportsman and represented OFS and Eastern Cape schools at rugby, cricket, and swimming.He joined Bata in Johannesburg and worked ...moreFootwear entering USA declines sharplyThe buying capacity of consumers in the USA, the second-biggest consumers of footwear in the world after China, has been significantly impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war, resulting in a general economic slowdown and inflation. Recent data, as reported by Observer BD on Monday, 13 November 2023, sheds light on the state of footwe ...moreSA footwear & accessories trade statistics for November 2023Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (29 December 2023) – Source: SARS.Including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia (BELN)Cumulative tradeTrade balance R'm (12 834 783 773)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.23Monthly tradeTrade balance R'm (945 993 044)Ratio (exports/imports) 0.35ExportsMonth % of total 0.27Cumulative 2022 (R'm) 3 ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- The basic that must be comfortable, last for a long time, and cost very little
This is the peak season for retailers to stock school shoes, the unglamorous staple which underpins so much of the SA footwear industry. Palm Footwear is one of the most successful school shoe suppliers, and here MD Rajeev Pattundeen answers our questions about what consumers expect and retailers need from this category, and what the future holds. ...moreObituary: Miles O’Brien – Sportshoe, Jordan Shoes (08/02/1950-26/10/2025) Some See the Crescent, He Saw the Whole of the Moon
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Miles O’Brien went to Progress College in Rondebosch and studied marketing at Cape Technikon. His first job was at Standard Bank in Plumstead for a short period of time, then onto the City Tramways for 10 years.Sportshoe was owned by Benny Stoltzman (who also owned Vogue Shoes) who had the agency for A ...moreMixed messages from Deckers Brands results
Goleta, California, USA (23 October 2025) – Hoka grew by 11.1% to US$634.1 million and Ugg grew by 10.1% to $759.6 million in Deckers Brands’ second fiscal quarter ended 30 September, the company announced.Sales of its ‘other brands’, now mainly Teva and Ahnu following the phase-out of its Koolaburra operations, de ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- PEPTIDE MANUFACTURE
Purchasing a 25 kg hide for the purposes of manufacturing a bit of leather used to be a pretty inefficient process. Consulting the 1999 paper (by UNIDO) showed the industry that 60-70% of that 25 kg is water, leaving collagen, keratin, glycosaminoglycans, fat, and a few minor components. The hair, epidermis, and fat are removed to leave a ...moreNew Mossop sales manager: ‘I can’t see leather being replaced in our lifetime’
Wellington, W. Cape, SA – Samantha O’Neill has been appointed sales manager of Mossop Western Leathers (Pty) Ltd, responsible for local and international customers.With a background mainly in textiles, she said she nonetheless had a longstanding personal interest in leather.“I find my transition from the fashion industry ...moreOnly Natural Design Competition winners visit the showcase at Material Matters London
London, UK (15 September 2025) – The Only Natural International Student Design Competition 2025 has announced its 7 category winners.The competition looks at the environmental crisis created by synthetic, non-biodegradable materials, championing organic alternatives including wool, hemp, wood and leather. In response to fast fashion ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- 2 golds for Xylem Africa in UK safety awards
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (26 June 2025) – Xylem Africa and its parent, Xylem Water Solutions & Services, between them netted 18 awards – 15 gold and 3 silver – for safety excellence, accountability, and care from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the world's largest health and safety program ...moreThe Competency Dilemma: Determining Competency for Construction Health and Safety and Designations Outlined in the Construction Regulations (2014)
IntroductionThere are substantial ambiguities and debates about the definition of a “Competent Person” when assigning legal appointments and responsibilities for supervision, oversight, and management of key tasks. These are outlined in the Construction Regulations (2014) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of (1993). Va ...moreIris and pupil scanning: The future of identity management, substance management and fit for duty management
In medicine, if eyes aren’t exactly “the windows to the soul”, they are at least a useful tool for diagnosis. And in security, likewise for identification.The Pupilometer is a non-intrusive device that measures the size and response of the pupils to light stimuli, detecting potential signs of impairment. The technology o ...more
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