S&V African Leather Magazine Vol19 No4 April 2025
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
04 Upfront
- Rwanda plans tannery park.
- COMESA launches leather value chain strategy to boost regional industrialisation.
- Eagle Italian businesses ‘set to reopen’.
- Rolfes management get to know new Solevo Group colleagues.
08 An Eclectic View
- Isihlangu: The skill used for making these historical raw hide shields is slowly being lost and should be a national heritage priority for Southern African tanners to relearn the skills and to ensure that the craft continues, says correspondent H. Procter.
10 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- How do you know where to go if you don’t know where you are? asks the Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor.
- Transparency, sustainability, longevity: Get the message across on World Leather Day, urges Leather Working Group.
13 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
16 Noticeboard
- A career path defined by leather: My journey, by Fusion Leather’s Ali Hakimi.
Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (09), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (11), Mimosa (OFC), Rolfes Leather Division (06), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (08), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (03), Sustainable Leather Foundation (02).
The Next Issue
- The May 2025 issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 07 May. The deadline for contributions is 30 April.
- COMESA launches leather value chain strategy to boost regional industrialisation
Nairobi, Kenya (02 April 2025) – In a landmark move to accelerate Africa’s industrialization, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has unveiled its Leather Value Chain Strategy 2025–2029.The high-profile launch, held in Nairobi, brought together government officials, development partners, private se ...moreEagle Italian businesses ‘set to reopen’
Marondera, Zimbabwe – Eagle Italian Leather (Pvt) Ltd and Eagle Italian Shoes (Pvt) Ltd, which operate as a combined tanning and footwear manufacturing business and which were set up about 20 years ago to supply the Zimbabwean Government with military boots, are expecting to reopen, director Francesco Marconati said this month.He sa ...moreRolfes management get to know new colleagues
Speciality chemicals distributor the Solevo Group, which acquired various Rolfes businesses in SA last year to add to its African portfolio, had a teambuilding and strategic session for senior management in Côte d'Ivoire recently. Pictured are the 4 South Africans (from left): Quintin Marais, MD of Rolfes Leather, Justin Ghersie, co ...moreIsihlangu
The skill used for making these historical shields is slowly being lost and should be a national heritage priority for Southern African tanners to relearn the skills and to ensure that the craft continues ...moreHow do you know where to go, if you don’t know where you are?
Many organisations feel disadvantaged by not having access to the latest international standards and expectations, nor the information and tools to assist them with how they can achieve the standards required.This is something that SLF has a mission to support – ensuring that any organisation, irrespective of size and scope, can ben ...moreGet the message across on World Leather Day, urges Leather Working Group
On Saturday 26th April 2025, the global leather industry will come together in recognition of the fourth edition of World Leather Day—a global movement dedicated to celebrating leather as a material and promoting a deeper understanding of the leather industry. This social media kit can be used by Leather Naturally members and i ...moreThe journey of Ali Hakimi: A career path defined by leather
My career journey is a testament to a passion for craftsmanship. I was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and completed my high school education in 1974. Shortly thereafter, I spent two years working in my father's engineering company, where I was exposed to numerous industries. It was during this time that I discovered my interest in leath ...moreThe Fairs - Sam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humourWe have just had the pleasure of the celebration of the world's major leather fairs, Lineapelle and APLF. Both fairs have been considered well attended though business was apparently not brilliant. However, have you noticed that the fairs are more and more shifting from the exhibition and business purpose to a conference venue, an instrum ...moreRwanda plans tannery parkKigali, Rwanda – According to an article in The New Times on 08 April, Rwanda is to establish a tannery park, including a centralised effluent treatment plant, to service more than 1 tannery.The planned tannery park is to be in the Bugesera Industrial Zone, about 50 kilometres from Kigali.The Times reported that the Leather Value Ch ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Tshepo opens new store at Mall of Africa
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (02 June 2026) — South African fashion brand Tshepo has opened its second store at Mall of Africa.Tshepo, founded by Tshepo Mohlala in Victoria Yards 10 years ago, specialises in locally made denim jeans.“Victoria Yards remains central to Tshepo's identity, serving as the bran ...moreJulz Shoes launches men’s range
Sneaker and moccasin style samples from the men’s range.Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA – Women’s leather comfort/lifestyle brand Julz Shoes has launched a men’s collection under the brand Will’s Shoes.Both ranges are “locally designed, made offshore”, GM Hayley Barker said.“Julz has built a loy ...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 ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Mobilising Africa’s human resource to reinvigorate the regional leather value chain
In last month’s edition I wrote about mobilising Africa’s livestock to reinvigorate the regional leather value chain, and this article is focussed on mobilising the human resource that is needed to make the most of the abundant livestock populations in the region.On Friday 12th June, newly organised SARLEN (Southern African Re ...moreSARLEN aims for business and regulatory advocacy for the leather value chain across SADC
The formation of the Southern African Regional Leather Network (SARLEN) is a process to formalise a voice for commercial, entrepreneurial and developmental associations in the leather value chain (LVC) for the region.The leather value chain has been recognised in SADC as a key entrepreneurial opportunity that can adjust to the scale of th ...moreMONEY FROM WASTE
Europe has borne the difficulties and the costs of converting to a bioeconomy – the lessons are there, free, for African businesses to learn and profit from. ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Premier Workwear: Engineered protection for Africa’s industrial workforce
In high-risk industrial environments, protective clothing is far more than a uniform requirement — it is a critical component of workplace safety, operational reliability and regulatory compliance. For procurement professionals, safety managers and operational leaders, selecting the right supplier means finding a partner capable of ...moreNew OHS regulations coming into force later this year mean PPE needs to be reviewed, too
In March 2025, the Physical Agents Regulations (and their guidelines) and the Noise Exposure Regulations (and their guidelines) of the OHSAct were published, with an 18-month time-period promulgation date to September 2026, allowing employers time to upgrade their Health & Safety requirements to comply with the new published regulatio ...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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