S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.10 No.28, July 8 2024

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

Trading: Elections, weather…

David Fox, Footwear Buyer, Choice Clothing
Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – Trade has been slow in general everywhere. The weather hasnt helped as winter kicked in late, but we are hoping for a good month now that the weather is getting colder. The elctions have not helped as people generally dont have a lot of money to spend, and supply has been difficult as the price of freights have gone up drastically over the last few months.

Cheryl Kretschmer, Group Buyer, Spargs Group
East London, E. Cape, SA – The first half of 2024 has certainly been challenging to say the least with the election month of May being a particular low point.  Winter sales were very slow until the first cold snap in June and certainly the first week of July has seen an upswing in sales.
      Fortunately, stock supply hasn’t been an issue, but demand just isn’t there. We feel the challenges of Shein and Temu even in the Eastern Cape which hadn’t previously been affected by the increase in online purchasing.

In case you missed it!

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

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT ONLINE

S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No6 June 2024

IN THIS ISSUE:

03 Upfront
- SA’s Chinese-owned factories: Frequently overlooked, but they shouldn’t be.
- Hi-Tec’s acquisition of Trappers – incremental improvements, not rapid growth, says Hi-Tec CEO Gary de Vogel.
- Paragon adds PPE reseller division to footwear factory.

07 Sportswear
- The Comrades Expo and Marathon – the shoe count: It’s still Asics’ show.
- Technical running exhibitors – Tifosi: Getting it ON.
- Falke: Clawing back market share with Mikado brand.
- The non-athletic exhibitors at Comrades.
- Waterkloof Golf Club opts for petrol carts over electric.

14 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Birkenstock shines, but let’s not forget the journey.
- Hoka – from running niche to lifestyle phenomenon.
- Under Armour’s struggle to regain its premium status.

21 Italy
- Italian footwear industry: Turnover and exports fall in first quarter.

23 Notice Board
- Retirement: Gerald Naidoo, outgoing general secretary of the National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA.



Advertisers in this Issue
Afro-Thai Industries/Aerosoft (09), Arena Trim (18), BBF Safety Group (05), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), FrontierCo/Busby (07), Haesloop Agencies (15), Kaliber (05), Kaytex Belts (13), Leather Finishing Products (20), LGB Distributors/Admiral (06), Palm Footwear (OFC), Saddler Belts (04), SAFLEC (16), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (17), Shotland Packing (22), Smerilli Design Manufacturing (11).
 

They Said It

"EU eyeing import duties that would stunt Shein, Temu, Shein has a new headache that could impact growth plans. The impossibly cheap exports hawked by China-based e-commerce titans are reportedly under the microscope of European regulators." - Headline and first paragraph of an article last week in Sourcing Journal. Will SA follow suit?

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

New subscribers last week

Selelo Gift Mpya, Director, Stofberg Sneakers, Rustenburg, South Africa

Birthdays this week

08/07/1950: Sam Muller, BEC Safety, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
08/07/1953: Jaybharat Jethwa, The African Boot Co., Nairobi, Kenya.
09/07/1949: Bryn Proctor, ?, formerly Crown Footwear, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
09/07/1958: Johan Kriel, retired, formerly Bolton Footwear, Great Brak River, W. Cape, SA.
09/07/1969: Hein Jonker, Ostrich Products SA, Oudtshoorn, W. Cape, SA.
09/07/1975: Gian-Paolo Bresolin, left the industry, formerly Andreoli Shoes [closed], Pinetown, KZN, SA.
10/07/1940: Erwin Metzger, Sanata Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
10/07/1945: Colin Symons, retired, formerly Elco Plastics, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
10/07/1950: Allen Beckley, Naked Feet, Durban, KZN, SA.
10/07/1970: Shelley Zhang, left the country, formerly Lavanda Shoes, Randburg, Gauteng, SA.
10/07/1972: Annah-Mae Blair, The New Shoe Company, Durban, KZN, SA.
10/07/1976: Johan Venter, Rolfes Leather, Boksburg, Gauteng, SA.
10/07/1991: Roal Boezaart, Freedom of Movement, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
11/07/1944: Attie Els, Els Agencies, Durban, KZN, SA.
11/07/1945: Maureen Liebenberg, retired, formerly Barker Footwear, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
11/07/1964: Hafiza Shaikh left the industry, formerly Amshu Distributors (closed), Greytown, KZN, SA.
11/07/1975: Cassim Dawjee, Moola’s Fashion House, Newcastle, KZN, SA.
11/07/1983: Tavonga Gonyora, Dick Whittington Shoes, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
12/07/1970: Guy Blake, agent, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
12/07/1975: Nashie Singh, Jinbo Trading (Pty) Ltd, Durban, KZN, SA.
12/07/1978: Kelli Kupritz, Dodo’s, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
13/07/1954: Peter Handley, retired, formerly Coventry Shoes, Durban, KZN, SA.
14/07/1959: Ernie Wallis, SHEQ Safety, Randfontein, Gauteng, SA.
14/07/1969: Veronica Clausen (nee Haupt), Clicka Heels, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
14/07/1971: Laurence Lotzoff, Dale Footwear, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.

In memoriam this week

09/07/2015: Mahomed Ebrahim Haffejee (b.18/08/1930), Capri Bag, Durban, KZN, SA.
10/07/2002: Rodger Brewitt (b. 25/11/1947), Bata Zimbabwe, Gwelo, Rhodesia/Bata SA, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
10/07/2014: Terry Thomas (b. 12/05/1935), agent, Durban, KZN, SA.
10/07/2021: Richard Delfel (b. 02/06/1955), GST Seton Autoleathers (now Pangea), Nigel, Gauteng, SA.
12/07/2015: Hessen Bernado (b. 19/07/1959), Bagshaw Footwear, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
14/07/2021: Willi Angeloch (b. 30/04/1946), Nakara, Windhoek, Namibia.

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

Barksole Shoe & Bag Repairs [Division of Kurgan Kenani Leather], Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
GA Creative Brands, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA, head office and KZN District Committee, Durban, KZN, SA.
National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA, E. Cape District Committee and Leather Industry Sick Fund, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA, Northern District Committee, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of SA, W. Cape District Committee, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
Retief, Amelia, Hi-Tec agent, Botswana.
Swanky Modes, Durban, KZN, SA.

3. Malawian Kwacha (MWK) (buying)

Source: https://www.rbm.mw/

4. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) (buying)

Source: https://www.boz.zm/

5. Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL$) (average) / Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)

Source: Source: https://www.rbz.co.zw/

Note: For previous rates, see HERE

ABSA Agri Trends: Hides & skins prices

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (04 July 2024) - The average hide price decreased by 0.17% to 3.209/kg from R3.214/kg a week ago. The current price is 1.09% lower than the average price a month ago and 5.1% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R3.00 Maximum price: R3.25. Price movements will be highly influenced by developments in the status of our animal diseases. 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:

Sweet Peas, Durban, KZN, SA. Women’s footwear and clothing manufacturer.
Sweet Shoes, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA. Children’s shoe manufacturer.

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR!

Bata SA announced it will supply its Power sports brand to the Mr Price Sport chain.

Ismail Cassim & Sons Group announced plans to relaunch Arno, the men’s brand, created by Villani Shoes.

Michele Di Lembo announced his intention to continue with the Villani Shoes business.

For those that missed it: The July 2023 issue of S&V African Leather Magazine

Rowan Allison of Midland Leather reported that orders were below where they should be at that time of year.

READ IT HERE - S&V WEEKLY NEWSLETTER VOL.9 NO.28, JULY 10 2023

THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO!!

5 retailers reported a quite week of trading attributed mainly to the school holidays.

The Competition Tribunal was to hear final arguments in the application by Mosstrich and Klein Karoo International.

Lanxess mine strike was not expected to affect global supply.

Truworths responded to Sky News report regarding debt repayments.

Former Mr Price Sport footwear and equipment buyer Rodney Rens emigrated, André du Toit replaced him.

The death of Fems Footwear and former Naked Feet agent Ebrahim 'Briggs' Mohamed was announced.

JSE-listed AVI Ltd appointed Alexandra Muller to its board as an independent non-executive director.

READ IT HERE - S&V WEEKLY NEWSLETTER VOL.5 NO.27, JULY 8, 2019

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

All the past S&V Weekly Newsletters from January 2016 onwards are available in the newsletter archive.
VIEW THE ARCHIVE - CLICK HERE

Contact us

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

Next newsletter: July 15, 2024. Ad and editorial deadline Friday 12 July.

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

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