S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol91 No4 April 2025
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- Following Trump’s tariff hikes, can mass shoe production actually be moved back to the U.S.? The answer is – it’s not that simple, says Footwear News.
- 40 000 retail doors could close by 2029, but footwear stores could hold their own, says Footwear News.
09 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Can Nike’s new CEO revive sales?
11 Counterfeits & IP
- Traditional Guinea Leppi fabric now officially recognized as a ‘Protected Geographical Indication’.
13 Noticeboard
- Obituary: Denis Manning, formerly of Kronies Footwear and Trenzado Footwear, was hail-fellow, well-met, in a genuine way.
- Obituary: Tony Jelinski, a ‘mouse’ who was in every way outsized.
Advertisers in this Issue
Arena Trims (06), BBF Safety Group (04), East Asian Import & Export (OFC), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), Haesloop Agencies (08), Kaytex Belts (12), Leather Finishing Products (10), Saddler Belts (09), SAFLEC (13), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (05), Shotland Packaging (14).
- Can Nike’s new CEO revive sales?
Can someone with 32 years at a company bring the bold, disruptive change needed to turn it around? Nike’s Elliott Hill is that man; he spent that amount of time at Nike before retiring — only to return as CEO on October 14, 2024. While his deep experience provides stability, it may also lead to an overreliance on past strategi ...moreTraditional Guinea Leppi fabric now officially recognised as a PGI
Pretoria, Gauteng, SA (15/04/2025) – Leppi fabric dyed using local plants is the traditional fabric of the Foutah Djallon region in Guinea. Its Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) designation, recently granted by the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle (OAPI), safeguards the fabric from misuse inc ...moreHail-fellow, well-met, in a genuine way - Obituary: Denis Manning – Kronies Footwear, Trenzado Footwear (29/03/1954-18/03/2025)
Sadly, Denis Manning passed away on Tuesday, 18 March after a battle with cancer, 11 days before his 71st birthday.Denis arrived in South Africa with his wife, Jane, in March 1976 and settled in Pinetown. He joined Kronies as a trainee factory manager and worked there for many years, firstly with Hans Krohn and Doug Roberts and then ...moreA ‘mouse’, who was in every way outsized - Obituary: Tony Jelinski – Everflex Manufacturing (19/10/1945-16/03/2025)
Tony Jelinski – who was also known as Mighty Mouse and whose personality, friendships and business acumen were a lot bigger than the biggest mouse you have ever seen.Due to my age of 84, I am the dinosaur of the partners of the PMC Group, of which Everflex, Tony’s sphere, was such a big part.I was responsible for getting Tony ...moreFollowing Trump’s tariff hikes, can mass shoe production actually be moved to the US? The answer is – it’s not that simple.President Trump’s escalation on Wednesday with the announcement of sweeping reciprocal tariffs have sparked a lot of questions and concerns among the footwear industry.One of these questions that are top of mind for many is: how realistic is it to bring shoe manufacturing back to the States? The answer is – it’ ...more40 000 retail doors could close by 2029, but footwear stores could hold their ownAgainst a backdrop of store closings, shoe retailers UBS analyst Michael Lasser favours include On Holding, Deckers, Dick's and Academy Sports. ...more
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Footwear Industry Articles
- New generation nonwoven components lead the way towards biodegradable shoes
Compostable and biodegradable footwear is becoming a reality.The nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH in Hürth, Germany, has published an updated version of its poster, 'Biodegradable Polymers in Various Environments', and project manager Kristijan Mršić told Shoes & Views that several of ...morePlastics SA ‘celebrates 30 years of inspiring South Africans to take action against litter’ – but so much more is needed
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – Plastics SA, the umbrella body which represents all sectors of the SA plastics industry, will hold its 30th annual ‘Clean-Up and Recycle Week’ from 14-20 September.In a release, Plastics SA said the annual event “has grown into one of South Africa’s largest collaborative environmen ...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
- ‘ESG is a global requirement’
Deborah Taylor, Sustainable Leather FoundationShe spoke about the SLF’s role in supporting harmonisation and minimising duplication of effort across the leather value chain, its education and training, development of robust and credible standards, and advocacy of the leather industry.She quoted the first definition of sustainability ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': Over and AgainThe EU announced that hides and skins could be removed from the EUDR directive's deforestation commodities. Could! Last month, like many others, I thought that the decision had been taken, but that doesn’t seem to be correct. The final decision will be taken after public feedback. Yeah, you read this right: after public feedback. As ...moreOrganic 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 ...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 ...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 ...moreSAPEMA 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 ...more
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