S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.9 No.32, August 7 2023
Download PDF
Please note: Click on any ad to go to the advertiser’s website
Manufacturing/Distribution
Doing the basics better
Athanasia Englezakis, Operations Manager, The Authentic Brands Company
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – With consumers prioritising essentials, and the solar power industry and other energy alternatives taking a big slice of disposable income generally, the market for apparel is quite tough. We have to work for our money, we have to try to do a better job than everyone else, we have to concentrate on basics, and we have to offer quicker turnaround times, but it’s not impossible.
It’s also winter, which is traditionally a difficult season for us, and we’re hoping summer will be much better.
Our speciality is locally made leather footwear, under our own brands, Hedgehogs, Hippocreek, Igloo, and WolfRock, and leather care products, under our brand ShoeMakers Choice.
We don’t own the factories, but we have very close working relationships – real partnerships – with them.
They know how to make shoes, we know how to sell them.
Importing
Exchange rate volatility the main problem
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA - Sales are “pretty much on a par with last year”, Elan-Polo SA MD Stuart Worrall said, “but they’re still down by comparison with pre-covid.”
Freight rates have decreased substantially compared to late 2022, and space was available, but the exchange rate depreciation is a huge factor as always. “The problem is the volatility,” he said. “A few days ago, I was buying forward cover at R17.70, now it’s R18.70, and who knows what it will be tomorrow.”
Elan-Polo SA focuses mainly on casual footwear supplying various SA retailers. “We’re not trying to be everything to everyone,” he said. “We’re known for casual footwear, and we’re not compromising on quality to get into a price point. We believe this is crucial to our longevity.”
Retirement
Durban, KZN, SA – Sondor Performance Foams KZN branch manager Kevin Gaia retired at the end of July. His place has been taken by Avashan Govender.
In case you missed it!
The July issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine
S&V FOOTWEAR & LEATHER GOODS MAGAZINE VOL89 No7 July 2023
IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Innovation
- SA footwear manufacturing was 20% up by volume last year, SAFLIA says.
- Proudly South African has a new mascot – but oh dear, those SHOES!
07 Exports & Trade
- Lou Harvey: Defying conventional wisdom by successfully exporting non-leather bags to Japan (and many other places).
11 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Supreme Court rejects Biden’s plan to cancel student loan debt, raising concerns for footwear companies and retailers.
- From DTC embrace to wholesale reunion, Nike’s retail strategy unveiled.
- Exploring the implications of slip-in shoes on children’s growth and independence.
- Minimalist shoes – fashionable choice, but linked to higher risk of injury and pain.
15 Safety Footwear
- South Africa’s market-leading safety footwear styles a testament to local development.
18 Fashion
- We are focused on bringing international and developing private-label brands to Africa and beyond, writes Sole Agents Distribution MD Richard Dixon.
18 Trade
- APICCAPS launches World Footwear Yearbook 2023.
- Italy: Values up, volumes down.
19 Trade Statistics
- South Africa: May imports and exports of footwear and accessories, provided by SARS.
Advertisers in this Issue
BBF (OFC), Berzacks (04), Evolution Engineering (01), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), Rainbow Group (03), Royal Adhesive Industries (07), Saddler Belts (09), SAFLEC (10), S&V Directory (13), S&V Trade Fair Calendar (17), Strassberger’s (04).
They Said It
"There’s no point getting hung up about external variables." - Stuart Worrall, Elan-Polo SA, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA, on load shedding and everything else we shouldn’t have to put up with.
New subscribers last week
Andrew Ballantyne, Associate Professor, University of Northampton, Northampton, United Kingdom
Shane Maharaj, Footwear Sourcing Agent, Mahx Footwear, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Directory entries updated last week
ACA Threads, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
ACA Threads Gauteng, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
ACA Threads KZN, Durban, KZN, SA.
Astor South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Kya Sand, Gauteng, SA.
Astor KZN, Tongaat, KZN, SA.
Astor W. Cape, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
Avio Clearing & Forwarding (Pty) Ltd, Kempton Park, Gauteng, SA.
Aviocean Cape Town (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
Aviocean Natal (Pty) Ltd, Durban, KZN, SA.
Karoo Taxidermy, Graaff-Reinet, E. Cape, SA.
Rainbow Group cc [Incorporating Borage Textile Laminators], Pinetown, KZN, SA.
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
Birthdays this week
08/08/1950: Eldon Fortmann, retired, formerly Bagshaw, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
08/08/1953: Doug Hawkey, emigrated to Australia, formerly Columbia Marketing/Apex Components [closed], Pinetown, KZN, SA.
08/08/1986: PG Needham, Needham Leather Goods, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
09/08/1988: Waseem Carrim, Bossini Collezione D'Italia, Rustenburg, N.W. Province, SA.
10/08/1951: Kevin Davidow, Nakara Leather, Namibia.
10/08/1963: Grant Hansen, Fusion Leather, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
10/08/1968: Julius Govender, Michelle Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
10/08/1971: Shane McEvoy, Dodo Shoes, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
11/08/1953: Andy Stern, Intershu, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
11/08/1978: Natashia Singh, Palm Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
12/08/1962: Alyssa Joubert, Ally Shoes, Hermanus, W. Cape, SA.
13/08/1969: Clinton Hoar, XS Denim, Durban, KZN, SA.
In memoriam this week
08/08/2010: Gareth Davies [b. 02/04/1945], Edcon [closed], Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
08/08/2019: Ben Cartoon (b. 08/10/1946), Paris Belts, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
09/08/2013: Daniël Bruwer (Stoffel) Matthis (b. 04/05/1934), SHALC and many meat industry bodies, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
09/08/2020: John Kellett (b. 25/10/1939), Durata Shoe Works [closed], Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
09/08/2020: Suliman Mohamed Ahmed (b. 21/05/1949), Shoe Valley, Benoni, Gauteng, SA.
10/08/2006: Abdool Kader (AK) Seedat (b. 12/03/1933), agent, Durban, KZN, SA.
11/08/2011: Ken Riches (b. 15/07/1922), LIRI [closed], educator, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
11/08/2022: Walter Kassier (b. 12/01/1946), Eston Leather [closed], Eston, KZN, SA.
12/08/2022: Essop Kader (b. 01/10/1954), Kaytex Belts, Pretoria, Gauteng, 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.
Exchange rates
Note: For previous rates, see HERE
1. SA Rand (ZAR)/Lesotho Loti (LSL)/Namibian Dollar (NAD)/Swazi Lilangeni (SZL)
Source: http://www.x-rates.com/calculator/
| |
Euro € |
GBP £ |
US $ |
CNY ¥ |
| 01/07/2023 |
R20.55 |
R23.90 |
R18.83 |
R2.59 |
| 08/07/2023 |
R20.63 |
R24.19 |
R18.84 |
R2.61 |
| 15/07/2023 |
R20.36 |
R23.74 |
R18.13 |
R2.54 |
| 22/07/2023 |
R19.96 |
R23.05 |
R17.93 |
R2.49 |
| 29/07/2023 |
R19.41 |
R22.63 |
R17.61 |
R2.46 |
| 05/0/2023 |
R20.34 |
R23.54 |
R18.46 |
R2.57 |
2. Botswana Pula (BWP)
Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/
| |
Euro € |
GBP £ |
US $ |
CNY ¥ |
| 01/07/2023 |
14.66 |
17.05 |
13.44 |
1.85 |
| 08/07/2023 |
14.74 |
17.28 |
13.46 |
1.86 |
| 15/07/2023 |
14.89 |
17.13 |
13.08 |
1.83 |
| 22/07/2023 |
14.62 |
16.89 |
13.14 |
1.82 |
| 29/07/2023 |
14.35 |
16.73 |
13.02 |
1.82 |
| 05/08/2023 |
14.71 |
17.03 |
13.35 |
1.86 |
3. Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/
| |
Euro € |
GBP £ |
US $ |
CNY ¥ |
| 01/07/2023 |
1146.90 |
1333.84 |
1051.01 |
144.92 |
| 08/07/2023 |
1141.81 |
1338.52 |
1042.61 |
144.39 |
| 15/07/2023 |
1174.02 |
1369.47 |
1045.97 |
146.51 |
| 22/07/2023 |
1169.18 |
1350.42 |
1050.45 |
146.17 |
| 29/07/2023 |
1148.37 |
1339.05 |
1042.19 |
145.93 |
| 05/08/2023 |
1187.80 |
1374.67 |
1078.26 |
15.41 |
4. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW)
Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/
| |
Euro € |
GBP £ |
US $ |
CNY ¥ |
| 01/07/2023 |
19.14 |
22.26 |
17.54 |
2.41 |
| 08/07/2023 |
19.76 |
23.17 |
18.04 |
2.49 |
| 15/07/2023 |
21.21 |
24.74 |
18.89 |
2.64 |
| 22/07/2023 |
21.68 |
25.04 |
19.48 |
2.71 |
| 29/07/2023 |
20.63 |
24.05 |
18.72 |
2.61 |
| 05/08/2023 |
21.39 |
24.75 |
19.41 |
2.70 |
5. Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL$)
Source: https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/
| |
Euro € |
GBP £ |
CNY ¥ |
Official US$ |
| 01/07/2023 |
394.61 |
459.39 |
49.93 |
3739.79 |
| 08/07/2023 |
396.33 |
464.61 |
50.12 |
5251.06 |
| 15/07/2023 |
406.20 |
473.82 |
50.69 |
4985.06 |
| 22/07/2023 |
402.80 |
465.24 |
50.36 |
4537.49 |
| 29/07/2023 |
398.81 |
464.96 |
50.62 |
|
| 05/08/2023 |
398.66 |
461.38 |
50.48 |
4556.16 |
Note: For previous rates, see HERE
ABSA Agri Trends: Hides & skins prices
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (03 August 2023) - The current average hide price decreased by 9.6% to R3.10/kg from R3.40/kg a week ago. The current price is 9.0% lower than the average price a month ago and 25% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R2.88 *Maximum price: R4.50. 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, and Zama Sangweni, 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:
Katharina Karl, Windhoek, Namibia. Leather clothing, handbag & accessory manufacturer.
Katy Kruger SA, Hartbeespoort, N.W. Province, SA. Taxidermy.
Contact us
News & Classifieds: Tony Dickson, +27 (0)31 209 7505, tony@svmag.co.za
Next newsletter: August 14, 2023.
SAFLIA enquiries: Tel 0800SAFLIA * Email info@saflia.co.za * Website http://www.saflia.co.za
Our website www.svmag.co.za
|
