S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.8 No.34, August 22 2022

Download PDF

Please note: Click on any ad to go to the advertiser’s website

Retail

KZN: Finding ways of coping

Estcourt, KZN, SA - "Business is challenging," said Mahomed Vahed, proprietor of All Shoes & Luggage. "People don't have money, and it's difficult to source basic core stock, especially of imported goods."
      He has transformed his business to cope with changing circumstances. Travel restrictions led to him cutting back on that side of the business, and not replenishing stock. On the footwear side, "I found I was competing with chains and other independents for the same market", so he opted to specialise in comfort footwear. Through word-of-mouth, he's become a destination store for people from Northern KZN and the KZN Midlands, and even for tourists to the Drakensberg resorts.
      Key brands include Grasshoppers, Hush Puppies, Skechers, Caterpillar, Merrell and Hi-Tec. "Suppliers have cut back on their ranges, and there are shortages," he said.
      It's a model which invites online retail, "and my son is pestering me to do it", he said. "At my age, I'm nervous to try it." His son has his own business, "so I know I should be looking at this option".

Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA - Best Shoes combines a factory and retailer in Failsworth Road. The factory supplies the shop, but also has its own retail customers, while the shop buys in from other manufacturers and importers and specialises in supplying the hawker trade for which Failsworth Road is known.
      "The hawker trade been very, very tough, member Lloyd Naidoo said. "Hawkers haven't been coming in the same numbers as before, and I think there are 3 main reasons:
      "Because of unemployment in their areas, they don't have orders.
      "The higher cost of transport means many of the hawkers from upcountry are going to places closer to them - which means the various China malls in Jo'burg, which sell cheaper, imported goods.
      "There is a lot of counterfeit - even here in Failsworth Road, being sold by foreigners - and nothing is being done about it."
      He said the hawkers who were still coming were "very price conscious", but that Best Shoes wasn't trying to compete with cheap footwear. "We're sticking to our plan to sell only quality footwear," he said. "We experimented with cheaper footwear and it didn't work. Our customers bought it and returned it - it's not what they expect from us. We do sell some imports, but only good quality."
      He said the factory was doing better than the retail: "We have some orders. 95% of our production is leather, and while a lot of factories are moving towards PU, we can't compete with bigger factories who make their own soles or import their own upper materials.
      "We've downsized, but we're ticking over."

In case you missed it!

The August issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT ONLINE

S&V FOOTWEAR & LEATHER GOODS MAGAZINE VOL88 NO8 August 2022

IN THIS ISSUE:

03 Upfront
- Local sourcing from a chain perspective: Current projections foresee a growth in units more than a growth in share.
- SA Apparel Association: The key is reduced lead times and more flexible capability, says vice chairman Sean Kirby.
- National Clothing Retail Federation: 'Ultimately, it's a commercial decision,' says Michael Lawrence.
- allfashion Sourcing date correction.

07 Sector Reports
- The Sneaker Shack: Shoe cleaning is a growth industry.
- Holster: Move to Intobrands.
- Sisi Safety Wear: Saluting the women who shape our world.

10 The US Market
- Retail momentum: Ups and Downs.
- Sales of dresses grow 42% and surpass pre-pandemic levels, says NPD.

13 Foot Health
- 'PPE footwear is all tech spec and good looks,' says Dr Anette Thompson, 'but what about foot health?'

15 Sustainability, Compliance & Quality
- SGS: How to ensure quality in agile clothing and footwear supply chains.
- Texon to unveil latest insole innovation made from 100% recycled content.

17 SAFLEC AGM
- 'Goal is to return to pre-pandemic volumes,' says chairman Tavonga Gonyora.
- 'Out of the box solutions needed,' says director Nerisha Jairaj.
- Photos of the annual dinner.

19 Notice Board
- Obituary for David Tosh, one of the best production people the SA footwear industry has produced.

20 Knowledge Transfer, Education & Training
- Leather: An introduction - The fourth in a 4-part series by Richard Daniels for people with little or no knowledge about leather.



Advertisers in this Issue
ASSOCALZATURIFICI/MICAM Milano (09), BBF Safety Group (OFC), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), FrontierCo/Delsey (04), FrontierCo/Busby (06), Italtan (10), JFK Trading/Jack Parcels (03), S&V Calendar (below), S&V Directory (12), SAFLEC (11), Saddler Belts (05).

They Said It

"Tony thanks a bunch for forwarding me the S&V. They bring back so many memories. Sad to read about Dave Tosh in this edition - sometimes saw him at Adorable but never really got to know him well. We have retired to Kampot (Cambodia) and live in a riverside apartment. I spend my days being an inebriated wastrel whilst Ronnie continues on her quest to have Cambodia's largest private library. We have three street dogs to share our more insane moments with." - Bruce Lynn, another of our emigrant shoemakers. We miss them.

"This samoosa has more points than Man United." - How the world delights when the mighty fall. Man City replica gear, anyone?

Got anything you'd like to share?

Do you have any suggestions, comments or experiences about the industry that you'd like to share with the industry? - tony@svmag.co.za

22/08/1936: Norma Varley, retired, Edgars, Durban, KZN, SA.
22/08/1945: Richard Hirsch, Richardson's Shoes, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
22/08/1954: Jax Snyman, The Sweat Shop, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
23/08/1947: Leon Volschenk, Leo D’ Mar, Great Brak River, W. Cape, SA.
23/08/1949: David Sheppard, DP Sheppard & Co, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
23/08/1965: Glyn Giani, the Footwear Design & Technology School of SA, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
23/08/1971: Raymond Schutte, agent, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
24/08/1940: Fred Carpel, agent, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
24/08/1944: Rolf Oltmanns, retired, PMC Group, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
24/08/1957: Clive Wood, Crown Footwear, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
24/08/1961: Ulf Oehl, Stahl SA, Midrand, Gauteng, SA.
25/08/1957: Judy Ambrose, left the industry, formerly agent, Durban, KZN, SA.
25/08/1970: Imran Mahomed, Mr American, Malelane, Mpumalanga, SA.
25/08/1972: Andrew Fenwick, Saddler Belts & Leathercraft, Durban, KZN, SA.
25/08/1978: Adrian Ramsamy, Novita Shoes, Durban, KZN, SA.
25/08/1980: Yvonne Speirs, emigrated, formerly Fusion Leather, Durban, KZN, SA.
25/08/19??: Anthea Ball, Adidas, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
26/08/1971: Sadia Edries, Rizzo Sales, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
27/08/1945: Krish Gangiah, Impact Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
27/08/1962: Vidrik Thurling, Thurling Investments, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
28/08/1947: Kathy Graham, retired, formerly Bagshaw, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
28/08/1964: Maon Saxe, Lonshoe Holdings [closed], Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
28/08/1969: Craig Munro, ? formerly Crafcor Hart Hides [closed], Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
28/08/1984: Clive Pozniak, Headmasters, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.

22/08/2006: Bob Butler (b. 01/02/1928), Burton’s Shoes, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
23/08/1950: Andy Thuysman, In Step Leather Craft, Jeffrey's Bay, E. Cape, SA.
27/08/2006: Keith Barkus (b. 08/04/1954), agent, Durban, KZN, SA.
28/08/1997: Richard Denton (b. 24/06/1914), Ricmar group [closed], Durban, KZN, SA.
28/08/2013: Tony Denton (b. 06/03/1943), Ricmar group [closed], Himeville, KZN, SA.
28/08/2021: Michael Anthony Clark (b. 14/03/1946), International Shoe Machinery, Royal Adhesives, Durban, KZN, SA.

Have you let us know about your birthday, or the birthdays of your colleagues? Our readers love this section, so please become part of it. This also applies to the In Memoriam section. Help us remember former colleagues.

Directory entries updated last week

Hennie's Sentrum [Liebie's cc], De Aar, N. Cape, SA.
SA Footwear & Leather Export Council NPC (SAFLEC), Durban, KZN, SA.

New subscribers last week

Peter Cloete, Ozone Clothing, George, W. Cape, SA.
Ansie Clementz, Clementzau Craft, Bloemfontein, Free State, SA.

3. Malawian Kwacha (MWK)

Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

4. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)

Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

5. Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL$)

Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/

Note: For previous rates, see HERE

ABSA Agri Trends: Hides & skins prices

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (18 August 2022) - The current average hide price remained unchanged at  R4.11/kg from a week ago. The current price is the same as the average price a month ago and is 58% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R4.00 Maximum price: R5.00. Please note: Our methodology weighs the prices we collect according to the number of hides they sell in a month. This is done to make it more representative of the prevailing market price. NB* Hide prices are determined by the average of the RMAA (Red Meat Abattoir Association) and independent companies. - Marlene Louw, senior agricultural economist, and Nkhensani Mashimbyi, agricultural economist, Absa group.

Note: For previous prices, see HERE

Have a look at these links

We invite businesses to send us links to websites, Facebook pages and the like which they feel would be of interest to others. The links below are from our database:
Hermers of Rosebank, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA. School and uniform clothing.
Heydenrychs General Dealer, Jansenville, E. Cape, SA. General dealer.

Contact us

News & Classifieds: Tony Dickson, +27 (0)31 209 7505, tony@svmag.co.za

Next newsletter: August 29, 2022.

SAFLIA enquiries: Tel 0800SAFLIA * Email info@saflia.co.za * Website http://www.saflia.co.za

Our website www.svmag.co.za