S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No8 August 2024
Click the advert links for more info. • Download PDF
https://lemaitre.co.za/product/osprey-hiker 
IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- Mr Price Sport: ‘Brands small – but important – part of our business’, says MD Anthony Findlay.
- Plastics manufacturer Igus and e-bike manufacturer Advanced Bikes develop first recyclable plastic bicycle frame.
- Arena Trims moves.
05 Export & Trade
- SAFLEC AGM: Trade with SACU down, trade with non-African world up, leather the star performer, finances a concern – a mixed year, but ‘expect the recovery after the storm’.
08 Profile
- Cape Town’s extended Gottardo clan: Multiple businesses and a shared passion for leather, from bags to furniture.
14 Government’s Master Plans
- Alternative to master plans isn’t anarchy, says Dr Morné Malan of the Free Market Foundation.
14 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Drip Footwear’s financial crisis – a cautionary tale.
20 Technology
- Huntsman to launch new footwear soling for running, hiking and safety.
20 Financial Results
- Vans is still in freefall, ‘but VF Corporation’s rate of decline has moderated’.
- Second half improvement for Rip Curl and Kathmandu owner KMD Brands.
Advertisers in this Issue
BBF Safety Group (OFC), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), FrontierCo/Busby (06), Haesloop Agencies (10), Kaytex Belts (12), Leather Finishing Products (16), Saddler Belts (04), SAFLEC (07), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (21), Shotland Packing (14).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 18 September 2024.
- Plastics manufacturer develops first recyclable plastic bicycle frame
Midrand, Gauteng, SA (31 July 2024) – Industrial polymer developer and manufacturer, igus, has developed the first injection-moulded polymer bicycle frame designed for advanced bikes, a milestone in sustainable mobility. igus collaborated with German e-bike manufacturer Advanced Bikes to create a bicycle frame made entirely of recyc ...moreSAFLEC AGM – ‘recovery after the storm’
Sponsored by the SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC). Durban, KZN, SA – This year’s SA Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) AGM – the 22nd – was a much smaller occasion than in previous years, an acknowledgement of a reduced budget. It was, however, quite upbeat. ...moreAn extended family with multiple businesses, and a shared passion
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – It’s a complicated leather dynasty covering 2 generations and 6 family members (so far), mixed heritages, and 4 varied businesses which have 2 things in common – they use leather, and they rely on design creativity to produce saleable products.Tiziano Gottardo and his son from his third marriage, ...moreDrip Footwear’s financial crisis - a cautionary tale
Rapid Expansion BackfiresDrip Footwear, a once-promising South African sneaker brand, is facing a severe financial crisis that has sparked intense scrutiny and debate. The company’s rapid expansion into shopping malls has backfired spectacularly, leaving it with a R20 million debt, a foreign exchange blunder, and the looming threat ...moreMr Price Sport: ‘Brands small – but important – part of our business’Durban, KZN, SA – Mr Price Sport will continue to look for opportunities to carry branded products, MD Anthony Findlay says.“Brands make up 10% to 15% of our merchandise, which may be small, but it’s an important part of the selection.”Through a collab with the SA distributor of U.S. brand Everlast, which is associ ...moreAlternative to master plan is not anarchyNote: This article is about the Department of Trade, Industry & Competition’s master plans as a concept, not about the R-CTFL Master Plan specifically. ...moreHuntsman to launch new footwear soling for running, hiking and safety.The Woodlands, Texas, U.S. – Huntsman’s Polyurethanes business will launch a ‘gripping’ new soling development for the footwear industry at the NW Materials Show at the end of August.The new portfolio of high performing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) products is aimed at footwear brands producing running, hiking ...moreVans still in freefall, ‘but VF rate of decline moderated’VF Corporation reports first quarter fiscal 2025 results and reiterates FY25 free cash flow guidanceDenver, U.S. (06 August 2024) - VF Corporation today reported financial results for its first quarter (Q1'FY25) ended June 29, 2024, announcing a quarterly per share dividend of $0.09.Bracken Darrell, President and CEO, said: "As I com ...moreRip Curl, Kathmandu owner KMD Brands preliminary result: Second half improvementChristchurch, New Zealand (20 August 2024) – KMD Brands Limited provides the following unaudited preliminary results for the year ending 31 July 2024 (“FY24”): Rip Curl and Kathmandu sales have shown continued improvement on first half sales trends during both the third and fourth quarters of FY24, as outlined below. ...more
PRICE:TBA
PRICE:TBA
PRICE:TBA
Footwear Industry Articles
- Manufacturer-buyer event: Among the retailer commentsKim Cunniffe, Kingsmead ShoesOur buyers found some suppliers they were unaware of, and a few possibilities in terms of product. We haven’t yet taken this forward, but we will do so.Hassen Ismail, Fashion WorldIt was more-or-less what you expect of local manufacturing in terms of styling, quality, and price.We have asked for samples. ...moreHow 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 ...moreObituary: Joe McGinley, Conshu (14/04/1936-20/05/2026) He ran an empire, but kept a human touch
Somerset West, W. Cape, SA – Joseph Pascal McGinley, the former Conshu director who died in May, a month after his 90th birthday, was a larger-than-life character who was renowned during his career in SA for his kindness, and who lived life to the full.Born in Letterkenny, Donegal, Ireland, to Joseph and Madeline McGinley, both doct ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- ISTT offers free entry level leather course to encourage trainingGrahamstown, E. Cape, SA – The International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) is offering one of its short online courses, Introduction to the Leather Industry, for free.The course is suitable for entry level tannery staff.It is also suitable for anyone in footwear, leather goods, furniture and upholstery manufacturing, retailing ...moreWorld first - compost: Possible, desirable, not necessarily simple
The world of compostable leather is not as historically accurate as the industry would like it to be. The definition of leather is: “hide or skin with its original fibrous structure more or less intact, tanned to be imputrescible (rot-proof). Hair or wool may or may not have been removed, and the material can include split layers or ...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
- Protecting 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 ...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 £ ...moreStatistical shape modelling for population-specific respirator design: Addressing fit failure in South African populations
Respirators are widely regarded as the last line of defence against hazardous airborne exposures. Whether protecting healthcare workers from tuberculosis, laboratory personnel from infectious samples, or workers exposed to carcinogenic dusts and fumes, respirators are often relied upon when other controls cannot eliminate exposure. This r ...more
© S&V Publications
