S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.11 No.3, January 20 2025

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Back-to-school: Good wrap-up for the season

Idris Pandor, Gem Schoolwear
Durban, KZN, SA – Retail school wear sales peak to the day before schools open with long queues and drop considerably from the day schools open till around a Friday/Saturday and keep dropping all the time with  busy days being the weekend and a month end. After January life returns to normal in the school wear trade.
If you did not plan EARLY, get your stock by October/November and on your shelves, you would not be doing justice to the once-a-year school wear trade.
We have had many a request from our wholesale clients wanting to book now to take advantage of last year’s prices for a delivery in the first quarter of the year. Wise buyers!


Jannie Vermeulen, Ekspa and Adno's
Benoni, Gauteng, SA – On the school uniform side, it started slowing down as soon as the schools reopened. Now we see the people who didn’t have much money coming back to buy extra items. Where we have become busier is on the sports side. We sell tracksuits, and shorts and shirts to run in. We also sell quite a lot of spikes for athletics. We also sell soccer and rugby boots, and a few hockey boots, but our neighbour is Trevor Smith Sports, so we sell the cheaper footwear for people who can’t afford the expensive brands.


Ebrahim Patel, Edendale Outfitters
Edendale, Gauteng, SA – The season has been very good so far, and we’re up on last year. Stocks were in early, and we’ve had no issues with that.


Essay’s Fashions
Benoni, Gauteng, SA – We were waiting from December for a shopping rush, but people waited until the last minute, and it only happened on the last 2 days before schools opened – on Monday and Tuesday last week. It was hectically busy.


Raj Sukai, Fair Price Store/Workwell Tailors
Port Shepstone, KZN, SA – It’s been excellent. We’ve been busy from the 14th of December onwards. We’ve had no issues with stock – not yet, anyway!


Power Sports – Power Stores
Carletonville, N.W. Province, SA – Trading has been good for us, both on the school wear and sports goods sides. It’s too soon to say whether we will be up on last year. We haven’t had any issues with supply.

2024 stats don’t make good reading for local footwear industry

Footwear imports and exports Jan-Nov 2024 compared to the same period 2023

Figures compiled by SAFLIA based on Stats SA database.

Prosper Africa/USAID trade promotion offer

This is a call for Applications to participate in Prosper Africa and USAID Regional Missions Trade Promotion Activities at Sourcing at MAGIC and Summer Fancy Food Show – 2025, https://form.collect.dai.com/x/Lyn5pY8U
     Prosper Africa and USAID Regional Missions are looking for qualified African businesses to take part in the upcoming Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, scheduled for June 29-July 1, 2025, https://www.specialtyfood.com/fancy-food-shows/summer, and or Sourcing at MAGIC Trade Show in Las Vegas, which will be held from August 18-20, 2025, https://www.sourcingatmagic.com/en/events.html
The Summer Fancy Food Show is for specialty foods and beverages, whereas Sourcing at MAGIC is for apparel, footwear and fashion accessories.
     These trade shows provide a unique opportunity for African exporters to showcase their products and services to a global audience within the African Pavilion, expand their market reach, and establish valuable business connections. Applicants are expected to cover some of the costs associated with participation, including airfare, accommodation, visa-related expenses, exhibitor insurance fees, sample freight costs, and potentially booth-related expenses.
     Please note that submitting this application does not guarantee participation in the trade shows. Participation is subject to budget availability, administrative approval, and verification of the applicant's existing export activities. To apply, please complete the application form by January 31, 2025.

ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS:
 

• Businesses from Southern Africa, North Africa, East Africa, and West Africa that meet international and U.S. market entry requirements.
 
• Trade promotion service providers and business membership organizations representing exporters from eligible regions.
 
• U.S.-based companies actively sourcing products from Africa interested in expanding their supplier base.
 
• Note: Participants are expected to cover costs related to exhibiting, including flights, accommodation, visas, sample development and shipping, insurance, and other show-specific expenses as required by ATI.
 

Kyrie Irving’s Anta Shoes see surge in demand after Nike split

Footwear News
Getting mired in a scandal and dumped by Nike Inc. hasn’t stood in the way of NBA star Kyrie Irving remaining a presence in the shoe market.
     China’s biggest sportswear maker Anta Sports Products Ltd., which signed the Dallas Mavericks guard to a five-year deal after Nike severed ties with him, was the fastest-growing sneaker brand on resale marketplace StockX in 2024, with year-over-year growth of over 1,900%, according to new data from the platform.

Richemont sales up 10% for third quarter

Highlights for the quarter ended 31 December 2024
* Very solid end to the calendar year with Q3 sales up by 10% at constant and actual exchange rates
o Highest ever quarterly sales at € 6.2 billion
o Double-digit growth in the Americas, Europe, Middle East & Africa and Japan; slower decline in Asia Pacific despite still challenging demand in China
o Marked improvement over H1 across all business areas, driven by an acceleration at Jewellery Maisons to +14%; Specialist Watchmakers at -8%, ‘Other’ at +11%, including Fashion & Accessories Maisons at +7%
o Channel performance led by retail, up 11% at constant and actual exchange rates
* 9-month sales at € 16.2 billion, +4% at constant and +3% at actual exchange rates, in a context of continued investments into the Group’s Maisons’ long-term growth prospects
* Robust net cash position at € 7.9 billion

In case you missed it!

The January issue of S&V African Leather Magazine

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT ONLINE

S&V African Leather Magazine Vol19 No1 January 2025

IN THIS ISSUE:

03 Sam Setter’s ‘Pills’
- A new quip from Sam Setter in each issue.

04 Upfront
- No replacement yet for Pangea SA MD.
- ISTT launches online courses for international market. “Our future is the world,” says Dr Clive Jackson-Moss.
- Kenya eyes export windfall from revamped leather industry, according to Business Daily.
- Kawumu Leather Industry to start producing footwear and soles, reports Nexus Media.
- Ugandan National Council for Science and Technology and National Research Fund Kenya call for joint planning.

08 An Eclectic View
- Yoghurt unhairing: A missed opportunity? asks correspondent H. Procter.

10 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- New year, new ambitions? The Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor says measures of success must be broadened to include the planet and people.
- Leather & Hide Council of America backs Congressional Slow Fashion Caucus

13 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.

14 Training
- Studies in leather education by Richard Daniels.

14 Research
- Abstract of a paper on the pathology of ‘double scale’ skin defect in farmed American alligators.

16 Agriculture
- Update on FMD in SA: Status of disease in E. Cape and KZN.



Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (10), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (14), Mimosa (05), Rolfes Leather Division (OFC), S&V Calendar (this page), S&V Directory (09), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (11), Sustainable Leather Foundation (03).

They Said It

"I’m in the car, going to night cricket, and my wife is telling me how to drive. This isn’t a good time to talk." - Jeremy Nel, Crown Footwear, Pinetown, KZN, SA, on Friday. The local team got hammered. He should have talked to me instead, really.

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

Alta de Villiers, Sales Executive, Hello Equity, Cape Town, South Africa
Magda, Happy Feet Shoe store, Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
Suleman, Representative, Lorenzini Clothing, Stanger, KZN, South Africa

Birthdays this week

21/01/1976: Mickey Walker, McCullough & Bothwell, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
23/01/1943: Pat Ward, left industry, ex-RPM Shoes [closed], Durban, KZN, SA.
23/01/1944: Gerrie Botha, Steps Shoes @ Barclay, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
23/01/1964: Lesley Williams, Lesley Williams Agencies, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
24/01/1969: Yolander Lotter, Comfy Feet Shoes, Jeffrey’s Bay, E. Cape, SA.
25/01/1951: André Pelser, retired, formerly Mossop-Western Leathers, Wellington, W. Cape, SA.
25/01/1973: Reggi Xaba, Zetu Shoes, Durban, KZN, SA.
25/01/1979: Gareth Mouton, African Leather & Skins, Paarl, W. Cape, SA.
26/01/1958: André Compion, PMC, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
26/01/1962: PT Harrower, C&B Harrower Agencies, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
26/01/1973: Lou Harvey, Lou Harvey (Company), Durban, KZN, SA.
26/01/1982: Adeeb Moosa, Deebo Sales, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
26/01/????: Jeetesh Ambaram, JFK Trading, Durban, KZN, SA.

In memoriam this week

20/01/2010: Johan Bester (b. 08/11/1936), ProGlove, King William’s Town, E. Cape, SA.
21/01/2021: Mohamed Farouk Kader (b. 20/11/1952), Kaytex Belts, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
22/01/1997: Charles Lintner, Bata SA, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
22/01/2024: Mussa Hajat (b. 27/09/1933), Bata Malawi and Footwear Centre, Blantyre, Malawi.
23/01/2024: Roland Brian James ‘Roley’ Rogers (b. 11/09/1938), Bata SA, footwear agent, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
23/01/2024: Sandy Campbell (b. 27/07/1948), Dalbac, Prestige Components [both closed], Pinetown, KZN, SA.
25/01/2014: Barry Kruger (b. 20/06/1944), Richleigh Shoes [closed] and Corrida Shoes, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
26/01/2006: Victor Ronald (Vic) Van Der Weele (b. 21/10/1916), SA Mercantile [closed], Cape Town, W. Cape, 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

Edendale Outfitters [Ebrahim Hassen & Co. cc], Edenvale, Gauteng, SA.
Essay’s Fashions [Easco cc], Benoni, Gauteng, SA.
Pamdon Security cc, Randburg, Gauteng, SA.

3. Malawian Kwacha (MWK) (buying)

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

4. Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) (buying)

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

5. 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 (17 January 2024) – The current average hide price decreased by 0.43% to R2.794/kg from R2.8064/kg a week ago. The current price is 0.41% lower than the average price a month ago and 14.80% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R2.75 Maximum price: R3.00. 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, 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:

Smart Steps Retail, Stanger, KZN, SA. Family footwear retailer.
Smiles, Empangeni, KZN, SA. Women’s apparel retailer.

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR!

Back-to-school: Slower in country areas?

Stock Exchange News Service (SENS): Richemont 3rd quarter: Luxury market growth, despite global unrest

In case you missed it!: The January issue of S&V African Leather Magazine

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.10 No.04, January 22 2024

THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO!!

Retail last week: A brighter picture

FUBU re-launch targets sub-Saharan Africa

Movements: Andrew Kalis, Shaakira Isaacs, Greg Uys, Andreas Horvath

Stock Exchange News Service (SENS)
- Woolworths - succession of Group CEO
- Truworths - trading update
- TFG - trading update
- Richemont - trading update
- Mr Price - trading update

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.6 No.03, January 20, 2020