S&V African Leather Magazine Vol19 No5 May 2025
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
05 Upfront
- Country hides and skins: Changed markets for a forgotten source.
- Ethiopia’s Modjo Leather Manufacturing Hub aims to boost exports.
10 An Eclectic View
- Determining the product environmental footprint of ostrich leather is a priority for South African ostrich tanneries, says correspondent H. Procter.
13 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- Can incoming legislation bring opportunities for Africa? asks the Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor.
14 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
15 Noticeboard
- UK Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists annual conference, AGM and dinner dance.
16 Agriculture
- SA Agriculture Minister ‘demands immediate action’ to curb FMD spread.
Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (09), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (11), Mimosa (04), Rolfes Leather Division (02), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (12), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (05), Stahl (OFC), Sustainable Leather Foundation (07).
The Next Issue
- The June 2025 issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 04 June. The deadline for contributions is 28 May.
- Country hides and skins: Changed markets for a forgotten source
Changes in the global leather market have impacted most on the bottom rung of the leather value chain – ‘country’ hides and skins. This was starkly illustrated when S&V African Leather received a call from someone in the Eastern Cape who had previously made a living collecting them for sale to agents acting on behalf of hide and skin collectors. The agents were still there, he said, but they weren’t interested in buying what he had to offer. Where should he look?rnrn A call to trader Gareth Diesel in East London, who works for and with Elliott Brothers and its subsidiary, East London Abattoir, confirmed that market had died in the province.rnrn He suggested we ask Greg Feinberg, MD of SA’s biggest hide and skin trader, pickler and wet blue tannery, Cape Produce Company, for ‘the bigger picture’. ...moreEthiopia’s Modjo Leather Manufacturing Hub aims to boost exports
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (12 April 2025) – The Modjo state-of-the art leather manufacturing facility and a renovated satellite laboratory are intended to spearhead Ethiopia's leather industry and foster sustainable employment opportunities.The project is a collaborative initiative, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by t ...moreCan incoming legislation bring opportunities for Africa?
As global markets adopt stricter environmental, human rights and ethical regulations—particularly in the European Union—the African leather industry faces a pivotal moment. While new legislation around sustainability, traceability, and labour rights introduces compliance challenges, it also opens doors for African producers to access higher-value international markets. ...moreUK Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists annual conference, AGM and dinner dance
The annual Conference, AGM and Dinner Dance of the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists took place on 25-26th April in Glasgow.This year, there was a 2-day programme that included a field trip to Scottish Leather Group on the afternoon of Day 1, when 30 delegates had the opportunity to learn about SLG’s heritage and world l ...moreBack to off? - Sam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humourOur industry has been submitted for years to the unrealistic and ideological EU sustainability directives, mainly pushed by Dutch ex-EU commissioner Frans Timmermans, who, not happy with the damage he has done in the EU, now tries to ruin the political atmosphere in his own country. These directives have more to do with ideology than with ...moreWorld Leather Day… - Sam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humourLeather Naturally again promoted World Leather Day, and luckily for its members they provided a social media kit, which people could use for participating in the promotion. Like last year this initiative is not a global leather industry initiative but a promotional action by LN, supported by LWG and SLF as described in the mentioned &ldqu ...moreDetermining the product environmental footprint of ostrich leatherA priority for SA’s ostrich tanneries ...moreSA’s Agriculture Minister ‘demands immediate action’ to curb FMD spreadPretoria, Gauteng, SA (16 April 2025) – The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, requested the Department of Agriculture to urgently give attention to the needed action plans and steps to ensure inroads are made to effectively curb the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Kwazulu-Natal.During a recent visit to KwaZulu-Nat ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Asia tightens its grip on global footwear, but risks loomAmerican shoemaker New Balance has shipped its first export consignment from its manufacturing hub in Tamil Nadu, marking India’s growing role in global footwear supply chains. At the same time, Japanese giant ASICS is increasing local production in India from 30% to 40% to comply with the country’s new Bur ...moreAre big shoe brands holding back better shoes?On the 28 June 2025 episode of The Energy Blueprint Podcast, Xero Shoes co-founder Steven Sashen made a striking claim: a major sports brand secretly tested a more natural shoe that cut injury rates by half compared to their top-selling model — and then shelved it.A more natural shoe, as Sashen describes, is desi ...moreTrading conditions - September 2025: I quit – a retailer’s response to Jo’burg’s declineJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA – I’ve actually closed my store down.I was situated in Mooi Street, Johannesburg, but the city has degenerated so badly that customers were scared to come to buy high value goods as they could be robbed or stabbed. It’s just not worth it to risk my life in the slum that used to be Johannesburg.& ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Foot and mouth disease: Low automotive demand ‘a blessing’Pretoria, Gauteng, SA – “Obviously FMD has an effect, you only have to look at the meat prices to see that,” said Gerrie de Jager, MD of Brits Leather Group’s Rosslyn Tannery. “All the red tape and protocols for biosecurity associated with FMD add further costs to a stressed market.“Fortunately, the Sta ...moreCarbon Calculation for the leather industry
As conversations on sustainability continue to grow, industries are under increasing pressure to understand and reduce their environmental impact. For leather, this means not only maintaining and justifying its long heritage of craftsmanship but also embracing modern tools and methods that help measure and manage its contribution towards ...moreGELATINE INDUSTRY
Leather users have long joked about how good it would be to have square hides…thanks to the demand for gelatine, maybe that’s not so far away ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- The Competency Dilemma: Determining Competency for Construction Health and Safety and Designations Outlined in the Construction Regulations (2014)
IntroductionThere are substantial ambiguities and debates about the definition of a “Competent Person” when assigning legal appointments and responsibilities for supervision, oversight, and management of key tasks. These are outlined in the Construction Regulations (2014) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of (1993). Va ...moreObituary: Ernie Wallis, Sheq Safety (14/07/1959 – 16/08/2025): In all things, hard, fair and respected
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Ernie was raised in a strong, principled household. Ernie’s father – a naval man with sharp business acumen and a steady temperament – and his mother, who was uncompromising in her pursuit of fairness, instilled in him the values of discipline, justice, and integrity that would define his l ...more2 golds for Xylem Africa in UK safety awards
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (26 June 2025) – Xylem Africa and its parent, Xylem Water Solutions & Services, between them netted 18 awards – 15 gold and 3 silver – for safety excellence, accountability, and care from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), the world's largest health and safety program ...more
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