S&V African Leather Magazine Vol18 No8 August 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
02 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
04 Upfront
- ‘Stable to positive’ – the ostrich leather industry is doing well, writes Cape Karoo International MD Francois de Wet.
- Poor market for sheepskins, but hides remain steady: Cape Produce Company MD Greg Feinberg answers our questions.
06 An Eclectic View
- Job cards: An old concept, increasingly digitised, and still an essential work tool, writes correspondent H. Procter.
09 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- There are many benefits to working with us, writes the Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor.
- Celebrities to judge the Leather & Hide Council of America’s Real Leather. Stay Different blog competition.
13 Technology
- Stahl extends its EleGrade portfolio of high-end leather upgrading solutions.
14 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
15 Notice Board
- CPC’s Benjy Lapiner turns 75.
- Tannery Environmental Consultancy Services’ Roger Rowswell has died.
15 Agriculture
- Update on outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Eastern Cape.
- Organised agriculture organization TLU says first meeting with new Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen ‘positive and constructive’.
Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (08), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (12), Mimosa (03), Rolfes Leather Division (05), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (11), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (02), Stahl/Elegrade (OFC), Sustainable Leather Foundation (10).
The Next Issue
- The September issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 20 September. The deadline for contributions is 16 September.
- Ostrich: ‘Stable to positive’ – the good days continue
Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA – We are now nearly 5 years down the line, since the KKI and Mosstrich/SCOT merger. The new name Cape Karoo International (CKI) is now well known among all international and local buyers of ostrich leather. Our clients across the globe also have switched now to “CKI” as the new brand, understandin ...moreJob Cards
Job cards – are these bureaucratic pieces of paperwork worth anything? The tracking of work, quality control indicators, dates and timing, and non-conformance can be tagged onto this tool and production control and monitoring can be greatly enhanced. The job card can be historical and diagnostic.Can a tannery run production without ...moreThe Benefits of Working with SLF…
Recent articles that we have written for S&V have focussed in on specific topics, for example greenwashing, or having an industry voice. This month we’re taking the opportunity to remind readers about the work that SLF does to support the leather industry across many interlocking areas to provide value for organisations. ...moreCelebrity panel to judge ‘Real Leather’ competition
Washington, DC, U.S. (16 August 2024) – The promotional blog Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD), funded by the Leather & Hide Council of America (LHCA) to promote U.S. leather internationally, organises an annual international student design competition. It has issued the following release: ...moreEleGrade: High-end leather upgrading solutions
Waalwijk, the Netherlands (12 August 2024) – Stahl, a leading provider of speciality coatings and treatments for flexible substrates, has recently extended its EleGrade® portfolio of high-end leather upgrading solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets.Leather upgrading solutions are key to maximisin ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humour" You can’t help those who don’t help themselvesThe International Trade Centre in Geneva spent a large amount of money in order to analyse the leather value chain in Mongolia. An extensive value chain study was made from the raising of the animals up to the finished product. The ITC presented a strategy proposal to the Go ...morePoor market for sheepskins, hides steadyDialogue with Cape Produce Co. MD Greg FeinbergAre there any issues with sheepskins in terms of quality and availability?Quality and availability are both relatively steady (based on the usual seasonal variations). The primary issues on both lines are market related (demand vs supply) with both Merinos and Dorpers experiencing unpreceden ...moreUpdate on outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in Eastern CapePretoria, Gauteng, SA (08 August 2024) – Following the recent outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Municipalities of the Eastern Cape, the Department of Agriculture is committed to providing ongoing updates and ensuring effective measures are in place to manage the situation.Engagement with Farmers an ...moreTLU SA & John Steenhuisen: A positive and constructive conversationTLU SA had positive and constructive discussions with the new Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, on Tuesday morning.TLU SA attended the meeting this morning alongside other organisations where the main challenges in the agricultural industry were discussed. Steenhuisen welcomed the representatives and immediately addressed four ke ...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 showroom pair is not the orderA shoe on a showroom table is wonderfully persuasive. A buyer can flex the forefoot, press the heel counter, check the stitching, compare the two shoes and turn the pair over to examine the sole. Colour, finish and hand feel are all there to judge.The purchase order may then reduce that pair to a short line: one style number, one colour d ...moreAn industry with distinctive material riches, unable to sufficiently convert them into finished goods in a world class way“The project’s purpose,” said Courtney Grant, “is to be a robust, evidence-based strategy to address the leather and general goods sector’s challenges and unlock its growth potential.”The main headings of her presentation were:Creating the groundwork for a National Leather and General Goods Strategy:Fro ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- SADC Leather Forum unites 16 member states to strengthen the regional leather industry
The Southern African Development Community’s Regional Leather Forum met in Durban, South Africa, in August. Nerisha Jairaj and Jacob Nyathi explain different aspects. ...moreZimbabwe Leather Development Council lobbies for Government contracts
The Zimbabwe Leather Development Council (ZLDC) is lobbying policymakers to open up public procurement contracts to local leather manufacturers, arguing that Government contracts are essential to reviving the country’s struggling leather value chain.Speaking on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZIC ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Occupational 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 £ ...moreChina-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 ...moreProtecting the workforce: The critical role of PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is utilised in a work-environment as part of a larger prevention plan, because on its own protection is limited and may even provide a false sense of protection.An occupational disease prevention plan must be an actionable approach that identifies workplace health hazards, evaluates exposure, and i ...more
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