S&V African Leather Magazine Vol19 No8 August 2025
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.
05 Upfront
- “It’s unfair to target ostrich products,” writes Cape Karoo International MD Francois de Wet of the US tariffs. “There are no alternatives.”
- Hunting industry has been a major contributor to the recovery of SA’s tourism sector.
- ISTT revises wastewater course as international students register.
09 An Eclectic View
- Bio emulsions are a potentially lucrative new field of study, writes correspondent H. Procter.
12 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- It’s personal! The Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor mourns the loss of her leather boots – because they can’t be resoled.
14 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.
Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (06), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (10), Mimosa (04), Rolfes Leather Division (03), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (03), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (11), Stahl (OFC), Sustainable Leather Foundation (08).
The Next Issue
- The September 2025 issue of S&V African Leather will be out on 17 September. The deadline for contributions is 10 September.
- ‘It’s unfair to target us,’ argues Cape Karoo International – ‘there’s no alternative’
The impact of a 30% duty on exports of ostrich leather and feathers from SA to the USA ...moreHunting industry contributes R44 billion to SA economy, study says, and taxidermists contribute R500m-R750m of that
Under the headline “South Africa’s secret R44 billion weapon”, Daily Investor on 16 July publicised a study which claims that South Africa’s hunting tourism sector contributes over R44 billion and 95 000 jobs to the country.It quoted North-West University (NWU) Professors Peet van der Merwe and Andrea Saayman ...moreISTT updates tannery wastewater treatment course
Grahamstown, E. Cape, SA – Following the registration of Australian students, and as part of its conversion to a distance education/online international leather training provider, the International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) has updated its tannery wastewater treatment course.In conjunction with Johan Barnard’s Enviro ...moreBIO-EMULSIONS
The development of biobased and biodegradable coatings using pre-polymers in emulsions has seen significant progress in recent years, driven by sustainability goals and regulatory pressures to reduce petroleum-based and non-degradable materials. There is a stark difference between a polymer that is derived from biogenic origin, known as a ...moreMourning My Favourite Boots
How one pair of well-travelled boots made me question footwear sustainability ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': For readers who need some wry medicinal humourNo limits to luxury’s dirty secrets? There seem to be no limits when it comes to digging out dirt about brands violating their own rules. Another top brand is under investigation, caught red handed by Italian authorities for violating labour laws by employing illegal (Chinese) immigrants, paying them indecently low wages for long wo ...moreFootwear Industry Articles
- Manufacturer-buyer event: Among the manufacturer comments
The 2-day Retail Buyer Engagement & Manufacturer Onboarding Programme on 01 and 02 July was part of an effort to kickstart the R-CTFL Masterplan – which, from a footwear perspective at least, has appeared stalled.It was sponsored by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and implemented through the R-CTFL Masterplan Footwea ...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 ...moreThe showroom pair is not the orderA shoe on a showroom table is wonderfully persuasive. A buyer can flex the forefoot, press the heel counter, check the stitching, compare the two shoes and turn the pair over to examine the sole. Colour, finish and hand feel are all there to judge.The purchase order may then reduce that pair to a short line: one style number, one colour d ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- Nigeria’s Leather Industry: Not a clear picture
Nigeria is widely accepted as having a very large livestock population, but a relatively small tanning industry, much of it concentrated in Kano, producing high grade goat- and sheepskin crust which is exported for finishing elsewhere for use in garments.Recent articles cast some doubt on this, so are Nigeria’s hides and skins: M ...moreSADC Leather Forum unites 16 member states to strengthen the regional leather industry
The Southern African Development Community’s Regional Leather Forum met in Durban, South Africa, in August. Nerisha Jairaj and Jacob Nyathi explain different aspects. ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': You have to be very clever to understand this document, but hopefully it will do some goodIn June, UNIDO launched an impressive document called “Guideline”. It is a very detailed, environment oriented, technical and scientific document where the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCP) play a prominent role. The document, peer reviewed, has been developed for UNIDO with the main contributor ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- Biodegradable 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 ...moreIndoor air quality monitoring: protecting people, processes, and productivity in South Africa
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is becoming an increasingly important topic across South Africa as industries place greater focus on occupational safety, environmental controls, and operational reliability. While air quality concerns were once mainly associated with mining, heavy industry, or healthcare environments, businesses across multiple s ...moreObituary: 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 ...more
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