S&V African Leather Magazine Vol19 No7 July 2025
Click the advert links for more info. • Download PDF
IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
04 Upfront
- Automotive leather exports grow, but ‘entire auto industry at risk from U.S. tariffs, warns NAAMSA’s Dr Norman Lamprecht.
- Foot and mouth disease update in SA: Progress, but most quarantines remain. Karan’s Heidelberg feedlot remains closed.
07 An Eclectic View
- LIRI – origins and end. Correspondent H. Procter describes LIRI’s many high points, and laments the failure to stay open in changing times.
11 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- Celebrating 5 years of sustainable progress. The Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor takes a justifiably proud look at an eventful period.
13 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
Development
- Ethiopia’s LISEC project, 8 years on. Time to invest in the Ethiopian leather value chain, says chief technical advisor Yassin Awale.
Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (06), International School of Tanning Technology (OFC) (08), Mimosa (04), Rolfes Leather Division (02), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (05), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (03), Sustainable Leather Foundation (OFC).
The Next Issue
- The August 2025 issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 15 August. The deadline for contributions is 08 August.
- LIRI - ORIGINS AND END
The Leather Industries Research Institute (LIRI) was a research, education and training provider located on the Rhodes University campus, based in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. In 1938, the Rhodes University College initiated a small, but successful tanning/hides/skins section in the Chemistry Department. The department was formed as a resp ...moreCelebrating 5 Years of Sustainable Progress!
On Sunday 13th July, SLF was proud to mark a significant milestone — 5 years of the Sustainable Leather Foundation!Since our launch in 2020, we’ve been dedicated to making the leather industry more transparent, responsible, and sustainable. Thanks to our growing worldwide community, we’ve:✅ Developed practical tools to ...moreA call to action: Invest in Ethiopia’s Leather Value Chain
Africa is moving towards greater integration, towards opportunity, and towards self-sustaining growth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).This presents a timely and strategic opportunity for Ethiopia to leverage its natural renewable resources, its growing technological base, and its skilled workforce to take its plac ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humourEUDR - againThe Italian Government is proactively engaged to support the leather industry in its efforts to delete leather from the deforestation directive. This is how one can summarise the message that Mr. Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, submitted to the European Commission regarding leather and deforestation: ‘Eit ...moreAutomotive leather exports grow, but ‘entire auto industry at risk from U.S. tariffs’, warns NAAMSAPretoria, Gauteng, SA – After a long period of decline, South Africa’s exports of stitched leather seats and parts grew consistently from a low of R85 million in 2021 to R288 million in 2024, according to the Automotive Trade Manual 2025, published by the Automotive Business Council (NAAMSA), and written by its executive manag ...moreFoot and mouth disease update: Progress, but most quarantines remainPretoria, Gauteng, SA – FMD has spread to Free State Province, the Department of Agriculture confirmed on 14 July, with a commercial farm near Kroonstad quarantined, with surveillance, vaccination and trace-back to determine the source.“As of July 2025, a total of 270 FMD outbreaks have been reported across 5 provinces in Sout ...moreEthiopia’s LISEC project, 8 years onIn 2018, the United Nations industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) launched its ‘Leather Initiative for Sustainable Employment Creation Project’ (LISEC) in Ethiopia. Funded by the European Union (EU), which invested €13.75 million, the project has been centred around Modjo City.It has focused on reducing migration by ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Cavalli introduces comfort range
George, W. Cape, SA – Recognising the growing demand for footwear that balances comfort and style, Cavalli introduces Cavalli Comfort, a ladies’ footwear range thoughtfully developed for women who prioritise both foot health and refined elegance.Created by Leo D’ Mar cc, a family-run business established in 1997 and the ...morePalm Footwear: ‘One family’Palm Footwear was founded in July 1966 by Kasie Pattundeen, with 18 staff, making slippers.60 years later, with over 800 staff, it is among the biggest employers in the SA footwear industry and among the biggest manufacturers by volume.It remains a family business, headed by Rajeev and Kiran Pattundeen, with their children, Srishti and Rt ...moreVermont sale completedJohannesburg, Gauteng, SA – After 39 years, former owner Mandy Owen has sold her shares in Vermont Leathercraft Manufacturers (Pty) Ltd to Creek Lab (Pty) Ltd, and officially handed over the business to Prashant Bhaga.In a message on LinkedIn, she wrote: “I would like to thank my husband, Graham, for his invaluable contributio ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- David Buirski retires (but we’re sure to hear more from him)
David Buirski, the former South African who edited World Leather from 1993 to 2005, and who continued his involvement with the publication and its offshoots until recently, has finally retired because “having turned 90 last December, I guess it was the sensible thing to do. Thirty-three years could be considered a long time.&rd ...moreKenya announces $39 million investment to strengthen livestock productionKenya plans to launch a 5 billion-shilling ($38.6 million) investment program to modernize its livestock sector and strengthen one of the country's most important rural industries.President William Ruto announced the initiative on June 1 during a visit to Wajir County in northern Kenya.According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the program ...more‘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 ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- China-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 ...moreProtecting the workforce: The critical role of PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is utilised in a work-environment as part of a larger prevention plan, because on its own protection is limited and may even provide a false sense of protection.An occupational disease prevention plan must be an actionable approach that identifies workplace health hazards, evaluates exposure, and i ...moreJCB Footwear steps into a new eraJCB Footwear has announced the relaunch of its product range in South Africa, marking a new chapter for the brand in partnership with newly appointed distributor, Kaliber Safety Footwear, which is no stranger to the industry with its own successful range of safety and security footwear products.The relaunch introduces an entirel ...more
© S&V Publications
