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
- Lemaitre’s Robust Pro, ‘based on user feedback, is a gamechanger in safety footwear’
Lemaitre, a trusted leader in safety footwear, is proud to announce the launch of the New Robust Pro, a reimagined safety shoe designed to deliver unparalleled comfort, durability, and all-around protection for workers across industries. With the Robust Pro we set out to create a shoe that truly works as hard as the people who wear it by ...more‘Footwear and leather goods sectors show united front at R-CTFL Masterplan review’
The R-CTFL Masterplan is currently under review, and a strategic planning session was recently convened with all key stakeholders and representatives present.The footwear and leather contingent participated fully in the session. Representatives from the dtic’s Footwear and Leather sector desk, SAFLEC, SAFLIA, and organised labour, i ...moreShlobo Designs: Foreign consumers appreciate handwork and the story behind the brand
Durban, KZN, SA – I’m a native of Umlazi’s K section, but I’ve called Seaview home since 1994.My life has been a tapestry of experiences, woven with threads of resilience, creativity, and unwavering determination. My journey took an unexpected turn when I was retrenched while working for the bank with a wealth expe ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Mobilising Africa’s natural livestock resource to reinvigorate the regional leather value chain
Africa possesses one of the world’s largest livestock populations, yet the continent captures only a fraction of the value generated from leather and leather-based products. From cattle in the East and South Africa, to goats and sheep across North Africa, the continent’s abundant livestock resource represents not only a source ...moreSARLEN: Defining what needs to be doneThe SARLEN webinar on 12 June 2026 featured 3 main speakers. The entire presentation can be seen here: : https://drive.google.com/file/d/14xBkPMTqsln-YuqkCXsm_vsazDwNqL83/view?usp=sharing ...moreSA’s 2025 automotive leather exports: Down on 2024, but still good, on the face of it
Figures from NAAMSA’s Automotive Trade Manual 2026 Automotive components – exports by product Component category 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 % of total export value Ran ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Selecting the correct protective clothing for a hazardous chemical environment
In South Africa’s diverse industrial landscape, from mining operations in Rustenburg to petrochemical plants in Secunda and manufacturing hubs in Durban, workers are regularly exposed to hazardous chemical environments that demand more than just basic safety measures.The selection of appropriate protective clothing is not only ...moreThe concepts behind safety: Why bother with PPE on the ‘Road to Zero Harm’?
For over a decade, the ILO and other such bodies have been pushing this whole notion of "Zero Harm", "Road to Zero" and other such catchy titles, all pushing the idea most probably backed by one-sided research that "Zero Harm" is the only way and can be achieved if you work hard enough.My problem with this id ...moreWhat if the respirator you rely on to protect your health never sealed properly?
I had the opportunity to present at the first PPE Conference in RSA, where I shared some early work we) have been exploring towards developing respirator designs better suited to the South African population.Below is a short AI-generated summary of the core message of the presentation.Respirators are often the last line of defence against ...more
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