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 SA
Durban, 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 demanding
Expansion 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 fairs
This 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
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Footwear Industry Articles
- Manufacturer-buyer event: Among the manufacturer comments
The 2-day Retail Buyer Engagement & Manufacturer Onboarding Programme on 01 and 02 July was part of an effort to kickstart the R-CTFL Masterplan – which, from a footwear perspective at least, has appeared stalled.It was sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and implemented through the R-CTFL Masterplan Footwea ...moreManufacturer-buyer event: Results still to be tallied, but broad enthusiasm for more
The 2-day Retail Buyer Engagement & Manufacturer Onboarding Programme on 01 and 02 July was part of an effort to kickstart the R-CTFL Masterplan – which, from a footwear perspective at least, has appeared stalled.It was sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and implemented through the R-CTFL Masterplan Footwea ...moreComrades Expo 2026
Durban, KZN, SA – The exhibitor list at the Comrades Expo, from 11-13 June, has shown an evolution in the types of companies exhibiting. Just 1 running footwear supplier, Ikhambi Distribution, promoting its Hoka brand, was there.Technical sock suppliers, however, were well represented, with Balega, Falke, Sox Footwear and The Hirst ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Organic cotton at the crossroads: Ideology, evidence, and the road ahead
Washington, 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 ...moreISTT 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 ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': You have to be very clever to understand this document, but hopefully it will do some goodIn June, UNIDO launched an impressive document called “Guideline”. It is a very detailed, environment oriented, technical and scientific document where the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCP) play a prominent role. The document, peer reviewed, has been developed for UNIDO with the main contributor ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Obituary: Colin Battle, agent (17/04/1957-27/07/2026): Our sales trips were a whole life experience
Dearest Lee, Greg & Sammy,I send my sincerest condolences & wishes of long and healthy lives to all of you, after the passing of your beloved Colin. I’ve no doubt that once the pain of losing an adored husband and father starts to subside, you will be left the glorious memories of your lives together with a most wonderful an ...moreCONSIDERING A PPE MATRIX
What Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) do we need to have on site to reduce and manage the workplace and environmental exposure risks to our employees?Safety and mining legislation place the responsibility on employers to ensure that they provide and maintain working environments that are safe and without risk to the health on employees ...moreBiodegradable disposable gloves ‘a growing trend’ in PPE
The poster is available to download in English in both PNG and PDF formats hereCompostable and biodegradable PPE are said to be rapidly growing trends internationally, lead by brands like Showa and HaPPE Earth.The nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH in Hürth, Germany, has published an updated versio ...more
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