S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No5 May 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- The R-CTFL Masterplan, 5 years on – Part IV: ‘Growth? Not only has there been no growth, business has dropped,’ say manufacturers who specialise in chain business.
- Supplying chains isn’t the only way of doing business. Corrida’s Adrian Maree on developing a branded business.
- LGB Distributors: Neighbouring states offer growth, writes Gary Baker.
- Angel Footwear: Biker boot exports undergoing wearer trials.
- Aldora Footwear: New direction for Brandon Ganesh.
- Zimbabwe Bata recalls retrenched workers – report from Newsday, Zimbabwe.
05 Exports & Trade
- The way forward for local manufacturing: Be realistic, be different, says Arsutoria’s Stefano Migliavacca.
- Explaining the International Labour Organisation’s role in sponsoring a design workshop: It’s about boosting exports and thereby creating jobs, says Nii Moi Thompson.
14 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Can Nigeria secure dominance in Africa’s shoe market?
- Levi shifts focus away from footwear.
- Shoes for Crews files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy amid intense competition.
- Lulemon’s entry into men’s footwear – collaborate or go solo?
- Democratization could revitalise the shoe industry.
16 Profile
- Obituary: Glen Puttergill, Glen’s Shoes.
- Obituary: Leo Vandenheede, Fanci-Form, Levara.
Advertisers in this Issue
All China Leather Exhibition (08), Arena Trim (10), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), Haesloop Agencies (13), Kaliber (05), Kaytex Belts (17), Leather Finishing Products (15), Leggenda Sport/Diadora (03), Palm Footwear (OFC), Saddler Belts (07), SAFLEC (11), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (21), Shotland Packing (19).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 21 June 2024.
- The R-CTFL Masterplan, 5 years on – Part IV ‘Growth? Not only has there been no growth, business has dropped’All the South African-owned factories who speciaiise in supplying volume orders to chains, and who agreed to comment, said volumes had dropped and that some of their chain customers openly said they had gone back to China.There have been casualties: In KZN, Nikkita Footwear Manufacturing, Prisaan Footwear, De Javw/Footech and Everstrong S ...moreSupplying chains isn’t the only way of doing business‘Temu and Shein need to be dealt with quickly as they have to play on an equal footing’ ...moreAngel Footwear: Biker boot exports undergoing wearer trialsDurban, KZN, SA – Angel Footwear cc is developing a stitchdown boot for distributor Gredale to supply Harley Davidson-franchised stores in the U.S.“We’re still in the development stages,” member Ashley Ramlakan said. “It’s a highly technical product, requiring waterproof materials and construction and h ...moreAldora: New direction for Brandon GaneshDurban, KZN, SA – Brandon Ganesh, formerly with the Nikkita Footwear, in February started a new factory with a very different business model.Aldora Footwear (Pty) Ltd targets the independent market with a small range of women’s, leather upper, stitchdown construction shoes and sandals.Current production is 200-250 pairs/day.&l ...moreThe 8th annual ARSUTORIA Workshops: Sponsored by the SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC).The 8th annual ARSUTORIA 1-week Footwear & Leather Workshop in Durban and the ARSUTORIA 1-day Handbag & Accessories Workshop in Cape Town took place earlier this month.Below, Stefano Migliavacca, who runs International Projects at Edizione AF Srl, which also operates the ARSUTORIA school in Milan, says that to be successful export ...moreExplaining the International Labour Organisation’s role in sponsoring a design workshop: It’s about boosting exports and thereby creating jobsPretoria, Gauteng, SA – The South African office of the International Labour Organization (ILO) picked up the tab for this year’s ARSUTORIA Footwear & Leather 1-week workshop in Durban and Handbag & Leather Goods 1-day workshop win Cape Town.Explaining the rationale behind the sponsorship, Nii Moi Thompson, chief techn ...moreCan Nigeria secure dominance in Africa’s shoe market?Can Nigeria reshape the trajectory of Africa’s footwear industry? The Made in Nigeria Shoe Expo (MINSE) in Lagos may provide insights into this possibility. This biannual event, held in Lagos and Abuja, brings together local and international shoe manufacturers, designers, and dealers. Nigeria’s involvement in such events sugg ...moreLevi shifts focus away from footwearLevi Strauss & Co., through its website, has announced its decision to deprioritize footwear in specific regions, likely prompted by its less than stellar financial performance. The company will strategically realign its focus and concentrate on its core competencies — denim apparel. Denim also yields higher margins for Lev ...moreShoes for Crews files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy amid intense competitionShoes for Crews, a renowned manufacturer of slip-resistant footwear, has recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company’s financial challenges stem from intense competition from online marketplaces like Temu, operated by a Chinese e-commerce company. Temu offers shoes they advertise as slip-resistant at prices as low as $17, ...morelululemon’s entry into men’s footwear — collaborate or go solo?lululemon, the brand known for its yoga wear and activewear, recently expanded its product offerings to include men’s footwear. In February 2024, the company launched its first men’s shoe, The cityverse sneaker. As lululemon navigates the highly competitive men’s footwear market, it faces a critical decision: s ...moreDemocratization could revitalise the shoe industryThe Decline of Traditional ShoemakingThe traditional craft of shoemaking, especially in regions such as Africa, Europe, and North America, is facing significant challenges. Once-busy workshops now struggle with fewer orders, primarily due to intense competition from mass-produced shoes manufactured in Asia. This decline has put the liveli ...moreObituary: Glen Elwin Puttergill – Glen’s Shoes (18/05/1944-01/03/2024): Born to be a retailerEast London, E. Cape, SA – An old boy of De La Salle, he always loved retail, from being a manager at OK Bazaars, to a self-made businessman.His first shop was Glen’s Stores in Alice.After settling in Gonubie, he opened Glens’ Shoes in 1987, which he ran successfully for 35 years until retiring in 2022.An old school gent ...moreObituary: Leo Vandenheede – Fanci-Form, Levara (07/05/1969-15/05/2024): A man of many talentsPinetown, KZN, SA – The youngest of 4 siblings, Leo’s presence was undeniable, shaping the lives of those around him with his boundless energy and entrepreneurial zeal.Together with his sister Linda and his parents, they ran Fanci-Form, specialising in the manufacturing of lasts for both the local and international markets. Hi ...moreLGB Distributors: Neighbouring states offer growthRoodepoort, Gauteng, SA – We’ve just been on a trip around the country, visiting customers and suppliers, and I’m quite confident about the future. It’s hard to put a finger on it, or to know what will happen with the election, but I am confident. Growth in traditional retail is minimal from our perspective as ther ...moreZimbabwe Bata recalls retrenched workersBata Shoe Company has ordered its former employees to return to work after failing to pay them their retrenchment packages.Over 106 employees were laid off in November last year without notice and the company had pledged to pay them their severance packages within weeks.However, after failing to meet its end of the bargain, the company ha ...moreThe way forward for local manufacturing – an outsider’s perspective: Be realistic, be differentWhether you’re selling to your local market, or trying to export, you have to find your own identity. You cannot compete head-on with the East. Even if you offer similar footwear, there must be points of difference that offer value to your customers.In terms of export – and that is ultimately the goal of these courses – ...more
Footwear Industry Articles
- AMSA: ‘Perturbing trend’ in importsDurban, KZN, SA – As the economy still seems to be precariously poised due to various exogenous variables, I remain very cautious about looking into the future.The formal sector of the economy has not fared well in terms of employment as measured by Clothing Industry Bargaining Council figures (see attached chart).It appears that th ...moreWhat if South Africa loses AGOA? A hypothetical scenario for the footwear export industryThe interconnected nature of trade, politics, and diplomacy reminds us that no industry operates in isolation. The possibility of South Africa losing its AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) benefits is purely hypothetical, but exploring such scenarios helps us plan for resilience and adaptability. This article is a thought exercise ...moreGrasshoppers Trooper, first school shoe in South Africa to acquire the prestigious Banzi Feet Gold CertificationThe journey of BanziFeet began in 2015 with research to compare the foot measurements of German and South African children and adolescents. Research revealed significant differences in foot shape and size between the 2 groups. It also found that 91% of South African participants grew up habitually barefoot, and 67% of their school shoes w ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- LULUC: Explaining the link between deforestation and the leather industryLand use and land use change (LULUC) refers to the study area in general – that is the study of how global land use change (commonly through human intervention) results in increased atmospheric emissions. The obvious emission is that if the forest is burnt, the emissions are directly released into the atmosphere. However, the change ...moreA cost-effective method of reducing loose grain damage during the bating processIntroductionEnzymatic bating is an important part of the leather making process. Bating enzymes help remove unwanted skin components from the hide structure, as well as any scud present on the grain layer. Good bating leads to clean, soft leather. Under bating results in poor removal of unwanted skin components, and a firmer crust leather ...moreHide demand steady amid growing global supply, gelatine plants absorbing higher number of lower gradesThe picture I get of the leather industry globally is that it is losing share in all its markets for a variety of reasons. In South Africa, the situation is compounded by cash-strapped consumers choosing cheaper alternatives. Cape Produce Company is at the beginning of the leather process, and it supplies all leather markets in SA and internationally. I asked CEO Benjy Lapiner if the picture is as bleak as I’m told. No, he said, but… ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Mastering contractor management for safety, business efficiency and growth in the mining industryJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA (13 November 2024) – The mining industry operates in a complex and demanding environment characterised by rapid technological advancements, stringent safety regulations, and escalating cost pressures. To compete in this context successfully, mining executives must prioritise operational efficiency, cost-eff ...moreFlexible epoxy coating provides modular constructions with hours of fire protectionPittsburgh, PA, USA – PPG’s Steelguard 951 epoxy intumescent fire protection coating is designed for advanced – read high value – manufacturing facilities, including semiconductor plants, electric vehicle battery facilities, data centres and other commercial infrastructure.It provides up to 4 hours of fire protecti ...moreThe importance of supporting local manufacturing to preserve South Africa’s footwear industryPinetown, KZN, SA – At Neptun Safety Footwear, our commitment to local manufacturing goes beyond producing quality footwear—it’s about building a sustainable, self-reliant economy in South Africa. We are passionate about growing local industries, not just for the jobs they create today but for the future they secure for ...more
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