S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol. 92 No. 01 January 2026
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- Geopolitical uncertainty ‘may provide opportunities for local manufacturing’, says NCRF director Michael Lawrence.
- ‘Improbable’ shoe sterilizing device ‘has merit’, says podiatrist Anette Thompson.
- Zambia and Sierra Leone update trademark regulations.
- Richemont maintained strong momentum with sales up 11% for its 3rd quarter.
08 Shoe Technology
- Running shoes: For every ‘technological breakthrough, there are feet that just aren’t suitable, writes Richard Kushlick.
13 Insights with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Retail’s future depends on hospitality – the Franklin & Poe story.
- The 3D awakening – how Fibbl is changing the way shoes are sold.
15 Noticeboard
- Obituary: Berrick Salmond, one of those for whom shoemaking was a passion.
17 Statistics
- Preliminary trade statistics November 2025.
Advertisers in this Issue
Arena Trims (02), East Asian Import & Export (04), Footwear Education (11), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (OFC), Haesloop Agencies (16), iSync Solutions (05), Kaytex Belts (06), Leather Finishing Products (10), Saddler Belts (08), SAFLEC (14), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (06), Shotland Packaging (18), Vandan Engineering (12).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 20 February 2025. Deadline for submissions 13 February.
- ‘Improbable’ shoe sterilising device, nominated for IgNobel Awards, ‘has merit’
A tongue-in-cheek article appeared in multiple outlets last September about 2 academics at Shiv Nadar University outside Delhi, India, who’s prototype antimicrobial shoe rack was among the winners in last year’s ‘Ig Nobel Awards’ organised by the journal Annals of Improbable Research. They designed a UVC light-equi ...moreRunning shoes: For every ‘technological breakthrough’ there are feet that just aren’t suitable
In the October 2025 issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods, columnist Tinashe Mandirahwe quoted and commented on a podcast in which Xero Shoes co-founder Steven Sashen claimed that 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. That prompted Richard Kushlick, ‘master footwear fitter, educator and podocalceist’, to investigate and respond. The central claim of the podcast – that brands knowingly withhold styles which could improve foot health – is wrong, he says, but what IS true is that the multiple running shoe technologies available all suit SOME people. ...moreThe 3D awakening - How Fibbl is changing the way shoes are sold
Footwear brands are starting to change how they show products online, and the Nov 4, 2025 episode of Inside the Shift with Fibbl explains why. Fibbl helps companies replace old photo-heavy workflows with one detailed 3D model that can be used for almost everything — website images, videos, ads, social m ...moreOne of those for whom shoemaking was a passion
Obituary: Berrick Patrick Salmond – Bata Shoes, Cameo Components, Bernelli Footwear, Dr Rae Shoe Manufacturers, NR Footwear (18/08/1950-06/12/2025) ...moreGeopolitical uncertainty ‘may provide opportunities for local manufacturing’Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – International geopolitical uncertainty “may provide new opportunities for local sourcing of footwear”, National Clothing Retail Federation of SA (NCRF) executive director Michael Lawrence said this week.Referring to the CTFL Masterplan set up to encourage the growth of local manufacturing through ...moreZambia and Sierra Leone update trademark regulationsSupplied by Adams & Adams. See https://www.adams.africa/ for the full articles.On 31 December 2025, Zambia ushered in a new era for trademark protection with the enactment of Trade Marks Act No. 11 of 2023 (the Act), following the signing of Statutory Instrument No. 86 of 2025. The Act repeals the long-standing Trade Marks Act of ...moreRichemont maintained strong momentum with sales up 11% at constant rates for its third quarter ended 31 December 2025Geneva, Switzerland (15 January 2026) – Compagnie Financière Richemont SA is a Swiss/South African luxury goods manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer listed on SIX Swiss Exchange with a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Richemont operates in three business areas: Jewellery Maisons with Buccellati, Ca ...moreRetail’s future depends on hospitality - the Franklin & Poe storyIn a recent Stitchdown Shoecast conversation, this YouTube interview captures Franklin & Poe co-founder Andrew Li reflecting on what it takes to build a modern specialty retail business rooted in heritage footwear, denim, and genuine community. Speaking shortly after relocating the Philadelphia store just five bloc ...more
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Footwear Industry Articles
- A perspective: Perhaps it was an eye-opener for industry players to hear each otherLooking back over the workshop, BMA consultant Justin Snelling wrote: “In terms of our reflections of the workshop, we covered a lot of territory. Perhaps though what was most encouraging was the breadth of participation from different segments of the sector and their willingness, or even excitement, to contribute. We don’t ta ...moreManufacturer-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 ...moreNike claims ‘mental benefits’ from new styles, observers take wait-and-see approach
Nike makes big technical claims for a category of non-sport footwear (their description: pre-game and post-game) launched in January.Certainly not the first footwear to incorporate underfoot pressure points, ‘Nike Mind Technology’ is 2 shoes – a mule and a sneaker (in different colour options) – which Nike says lit ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- SARLEN – the journey so far
SARLEN was guided by a model policy framework for the leather value chain, adopted by all member states in 2023. It was supported by Deutsche Zusammenarbeit (German Cooperation), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), with the SADC Secretariat as the principal sponsor.The building blocks are ass ...moreDavid 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
PPE Industry Articles
- RealPPE Marketplace: Where safety meets smarter procurementRealPPE Marketplace is a 100% black women-owned B2B PPE marketplace built for South African industry. Founded after years of witnessing safety officers and procurement teams lose time to fragmented suppliers, inconsistent pricing, and missing documentation, RealPPE was created to bring structure and reliability to industrial PPE sourcing. ...moreOccupational noise-induced hearing loss ‘is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world’
Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is the most prevalent occupational disease in the world*. 16% of all disabling hearing loss in adults is due to noise exposure.It’s also expensive. According to one study, it costs US$242 million in annual compensation in the USA. In the UK, the typical cost per claim in the is £ ...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 ...more
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