S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No9 September 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- International fast fashion retailer H&M, which does source some raw materials from SA, says it is serious about sustainability and about talking to local manufacturers about sourcing finished goods.
- Small West African state Benin is making branded garments for export.
- Management changes at Bata SA.
11 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Clarks’ Indian departure – what went wrong?
- Investor lawsuit hits Lulelemon.
- Comfort is what the market is demanding.
19 Export & Trade
- Italian Trade Agency sponsors SA visit to Milan fairs.
21 Noticeboard
- SAFLIA AGM marks the organisation’s 80th anniversary.
- National Bargaining Council bids farewell to outgoing general secretary Gerald Naidoo.
Advertisers in this Issue
Arena Trims (20), BBF Safety Group (04), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), FrontierCo/Busby (09), Haesloop Agencies (14), Kaliber Safety Footwear/For the Motor Industry/Safety Boots (06, 08), Kaytex Belts (12), Leather Finishing Products (16), Lemaitre (10), Palm Footwear (OFC), Saddler Belts (07), SAFLEC (13), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (17), Shotland Packaging (18).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 25 October 2024.
- ‘We have and will continue to investigate sourcing opportunities for apparel’Several SA raw materials make it into H&M’s value chain, but so far, no finished goods ...moreManagement changes at Bata SADurban, KZN, SA – Bata SA country manager Michael Wyatt has been promoted to president of Bata Africa-Middle East and Bata Industrials.The new Bata SA country manager is Lorraine Dyer, who has over 20 years retail and wholesale experience in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.In a release, Bata SA said “her track re ...moreClarks’ Indian departure — what went wrong?A report from Yahoo Finance on August 27, 2024, reveals that Clarks, the iconic British footwear brand, is closing its stores in India due to "differences over terms" with its local partner, Reliance Retail.This unexpected development underscores the critical importance of aligning with local partners and effectively m ...moreComfort is what the market is demandingExpansion AnnouncementOrthoLite, a leading manufacturer of comfort foam insoles, has announced it is expanding its European facility in Almansa, Spain. This strategic move aims to enhance production capacity, innovation, and speed-to-market manufacturing, enabling OrthoLite to better serve its brand partners ...moreItalian Trade Agency sponsors SA visit to Milan fairsThis September, SAFLEC, accompanied by a group of trailblazing members funded by the Italian Trade Agency, made a significant and impactful presence at Simac Tanning Tech, Lineapelle, Micam, and Milan Fashion Week.More than a routine industry visit, this participation was a strategic initiative designed to gather high-level intelligence a ...moreBenin begins exporting U.S. branded garments to EuropeZè, Benin (11 September 2024) – Benin, which along with Togo is a small Francophone state sandwiched between Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa, has exported its first consignment of clothing under the American brand, U.S. POLO ASSN.In a release, Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ) (www.GDIZ-Benin.com) said: “Th ...moreInvestor lawsuit hits LululemonLululemon Athletica Inc. is currently facing a class action lawsuit filed by a shareholder who claims the company misled investors by failing to disclose critical information about its business operations. This lawsuit involves individuals and entities who purchased Lululemon securities between December 7, 2023, and July 24, 2024.The Alle ...more
- PRICE:TBAPRICE:TBAPRICE: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. ...moreNike claims ‘mental benefits’ from new styles, observers take wait-and-see approachNike makes big technical claims for a category of non-sport footwear (their description: pre-game and post-game) launched in January.Certainly not the first footwear to incorporate underfoot pressure points, ‘Nike Mind Technology’ is 2 shoes – a mule and a sneaker (in different colour options) – which Nike says lit ...morePalm Footwear: ‘One family’Palm Footwear was founded in July 1966 by Kasie Pattundeen, with 18 staff, making slippers.60 years later, with over 800 staff, it is among the biggest employers in the SA footwear industry and among the biggest manufacturers by volume.It remains a family business, headed by Rajeev and Kiran Pattundeen, with their children, Srishti and Rt ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- OBLIQUITYShareholder value is usually the result of running a good business, not a reliable operational principle for running one ...moreNigeria’s Leather Industry: Not a clear pictureNigeria is widely accepted as having a very large livestock population, but a relatively small tanning industry, much of it concentrated in Kano, producing high grade goat- and sheepskin crust which is exported for finishing elsewhere for use in garments.Recent articles cast some doubt on this, so are Nigeria’s hides and skins: M ...moreOrganic cotton at the crossroads: Ideology, evidence, and the road aheadWashington, DC, U.S.A. (23 June 2026) — Organic cotton occupies one of the most contentious spaces in global agriculture. While praised by brands and consumers for its environmental ideals, it also faces persistent questions about yield stability, certification integrity, and scalability. The current edition of The ICAC Recorde ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- SAPEMA demands action against retailer Curve Gear over selling noncompliant safety footwearThe Southern African Protective Equipment Marketing Association (SAPEMA) has reported retailer Curve Gear to the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS) for selling “possibly noncompliant” safety footwear.The allegation is because Curve Gear’s safety footwear doesn’t carry mandatory marking: Its NRCS app ...moreMore precise fire extinguishing from the air using simulation and sensor dataWildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense worldwide. Fires often become infernos due to heat, drought and wind, especially in the summer. The problem is compounded by the climate crisis. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM and the startup CAURUS Technologies GmbH are responding to this growi ...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 ...more
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