S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.11 No.7, February 17 2025

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Component suppliers

Slow start for leather

Warren Phipps, leather technologist, Mendelson & Frost Tanning Services Division
Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – It’s been a slow start to the year for footwear upper leather, and automotive leather is very quiet.

Handbag manufacturers

A relatively positive picture

Ian Haddow, GM, Bella Bianca
Durban, KZN, SA – We manufacture and wholesale to local retailers. We manufacture for stock, so there are no forward orders. Production is reliant on how good our wholesale sales team is.
     We have identified reliable suppliers, and so far don’t have any problems with raw materials.

Fathima Khan, director, Fathima Khan Luxury
Durban, KZN, SA – My main markets are export, local retail and tourists visiting SA.
     We are currently well placed with orders for Summer 2025/26.
     We’re not having any problems with accessing raw materials. I mainly use ostrich and crocodile skins which is locally sourced.

Judy Friend, partner, Safari Leather
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – Comments on trading conditions, mmmmmmm!
     2025 has predictably started slowly, although with exciting prospects on the horizon that hopefully will develop over the next couple of months.
     The local trade is sluggish, and consumer confidence is low.
     The export orders are coming through earlier than anticipated, so back to roundabouts and swings!

Closure

Men’s Shoe Centre: End of an era

Durban, KZN, SA – Men’s Shoe Centre closed in December after several years in business rescue. The retailer, which at one point had 5 stores and a head office, first opened in 1967, director Barry Law said.
     “It just wasn’t making enough money, and The Pavilion, as the landlord, wouldn’t reduce the rent. We had no option but to sell the stock and close.”

Animal cruelty

Crocodile torturer ‘not linked to crocodile farming industry’

Thohoyandou, Limpopo, SA – A suspect who will appear in the Thohoyandou Magistrates’ Court today, charged under the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962 for allegedly torturing a Nile crocodile, “was likely a random guy who attacked a crocodile that got stranded on dry land”, according to Stefan van As, a management committee member of the SA Crocodile Industry Association.
     The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) announced in a press release on Thursday that it had arrested “the self-proclaimed ‘King of Crocodile’ after a deeply disturbing video surfaced on social media in January 2025, showing the suspect torturing a Nile crocodile.”
     “I’ve read about this incident on social media and have no more information on the incident,” Van As said. “Unfortunately, human-crocodile conflict is on the rise all over the world where wild crocodilian populations have recovered. Crocodilians are starting to move out of protected areas looking for suitable habitats and this puts them in conflict with humans. Regulated wild harvesting of alligator has been going on for while now in the USA and started also in Australia, Northern Territories.”

Death notice

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – Commission agent Zelton Wiskin died on 24 January 2025, aged 66. An obituary will follow in the February edition of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods.

Counterfeits

Police seize counterfeit goods worth R5m

Musina, Limpopo, SA (12 February 2925) – Police in Limpopo have made a significant impact on the illegal trade of counterfeit goods, seizing items worth R5 million (approximately $271 723) in Musina. The operation, conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies, targeted counterfeit goods and over 2000 counterfeit items including sneakers, cell phones, perfumes and consumables were seized. Police spokesperson Amanda van Wyk emphasised the operation’s importance in protecting consumers and the economy, reaffirming the commitment to combat counterfeit and illicit trade. - https://www.adams.africa/

In case you missed it!

The February issue of S&V African Leather Magazine

CLICK HERE TO VIEW IT ONLINE

S&V African Leather Magazine Vol19 No2 February 2025

IN THIS ISSUE:

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

04 Upfront
- SATEO’s Mark Oosthuizen to step down.

04 An Eclectic View
- Retanning Chemistry – Leftovers, by correspondent H. Procter.

08 Leather, Its Image & Its Place In The World
- What’s the point of industry associations, asks the Sustainable Leather Foundation’s Deborah Taylor.
- Canadian fish skin leather tannery 7 Leagues “doing it themselves” in the absence of local expertise and guidance.

11 Reports Around Africa
- Ethnicity and geography in Nigeria’s leather trading industry – an article from African Arguments.
- Transforming the leather sector in Ethiopia – an article from People In Need.

14 Weights & Measures
- Compiled by the ISTT.

15 Agriculture
- SA ratifies Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
- Act on Agricultural Land Conservation is ‘just a veil for greater state control’.



Advertisers in this Issue
Authenticae (07), International School of Tanning Technology (ISTT) (09), Mimosa (05), Rolfes Leather Division (02), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (15), Southern African Footwear & Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) (12), Stahl (OFC), Sustainable Leather Foundation (03).

They Said It

"In the last weekly newsletter, you made a comment that no matter where in the world Deborah Taylor is, she still manages to get an article to you. I think us regular contributors will need to have a word with Deborah as she is showing us up, by being so productive. I mean, what would you do with all your time if you did not have to hound us for an article or two!!!!! And by the way, I have not yet started on my next article." - Clive Jackson-Moss, International School of Tanning Technology. Now just a minute, Dr Jackson-Moss. There are THREE regular contributors to S&V African Leather, and one VERY IRREGULAR contributor. And the excuses…”marking papers”, “doing VAT returns”, “helping my daughter with her prac at the SPCA”, and, of course, “playing bowls”.

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

Deborah Taylor, Managing Director, Sustainable Leather Foundataion, UK
Wyatt Brodie, Merchandising/ Buyer, Independent, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Birthdays this week

17/02/1950: Ian McDonald, retired, formerly Speciality Threads [closed], Amanzimtoti, KZN, SA.
17/02/1960: Raju Dhaya, VJ’s Superstore, Humansdorp, E. Cape, SA.
17/02/1966: Anton Sprake, agent, Windhoek, Namibia.
17/02/1971: John Harman, formerly Bata SA, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
17/02/1980: Desmond Sutherland Jnr., Aviocean Natal, Durban, KZN, SA.
18/02/1942: George Naicker, formerly Edcon, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
18/02/1944: Colin Marx, retired, formerly Tropelli [closed], Pinetown, KZN, SA.
18/02/1956: Kevin Thompson, Leatherite International, Pr etoria, Gauteng, SA.
18/02/1957: Desmond Sutherland Snr., Aviocean (Natal), Durban, KZN, SA.
18/02/1977: Zahir Kader, Kaytex Belts, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
19/02/1944: Bruno Tarasconi, formerly Bruno Original, now Etsang Dieta Primary Co-operative, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
19/02/1988: Joash Govender, formerly Prisaan Footwear [closed], Pinetown, KZN, SA.
20/02/1959: Rashmi Kooverjee, Babu’s, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
20/02/1969: Dada Segwe, Bontsho Bosweu Shop, Vryburg, N.W. Province, SA.
20/02/1973: Bridget Johnson, Bibbi Shoes, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
20/02/????: Rakesh Ambaram, JFK Trading, Durban, KZN, SA.
21/02/1958: David Barnett, Urban Angel Accessories, Boksburg, Gauteng, SA.
21/02/1960: Nigel Payne, NTE, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
21/02/1975: Zubair Desai, Leather Loft, Stanger/KwaDukuza, KZN, SA.
22/02/1967: Shabir Ahmed Moola, Moola’s Newcastle, KZN, SA.
22/02/1970: Ebrahim Akoon, Urban Legends, Bloemfontein, Free State, SA.
22/02/1982: Katherine Bischoff, Leatherband, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
23/02/1949: Jeff Burland, retired to Australia, formerly United Fram/Wayne Plastics, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.

In memoriam this week

17/02/2011: Basil Benjamin (b.27/08/1929), agent, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
18/02/2017: Harry Adams, (b. 24/02/xx), Finlam Textiles, Pinetown, KZN, SA.
19/02/2015: Professor Dr Des Cooper (b. 14/04/1928), Leather Industries’ Research Institute (LIRI) [closed], Grahamstown, E. Cape, SA.
20/02/2004: Barry Dowson (b. 1938), Barry Dowson Components [closed], Greytown, KZN, SA.
22/02/2023: Robert Pringle (b. 29/01/1942), Hickey & Pringle (closed), Pinetown, 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

Global Sewing Machines Brokers (Pty) Ltd, Durban, KZN, SA.
Prime Fastener (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
Safari Leather, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

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 (13 February 2024) – The current average hide price increased by 0.26% to R2.801/kg from R2.794/kg a week ago. The current price is 0.24% higher than the average price a month ago and remained the same, as the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R2.75 Maximum price: R3.03. 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:

Global Tanners PLC, Harare, Zimbabwe. Leather trader.
Globus Tannery, Kano, Nigeria. Tannery.

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR!

Sport: Schools drive good start to the year

Trump sneakers – not made in the US – sell out

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.10 No.08, February 19 2024

THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO!!

Retail so far this year

Death notice: Michael Wakeling, former MD of Millana Shoes

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.6 No.07, February 17, 2020

Contact us

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

Next newsletter: Monday 24 February, 2025. Ad and editorial deadline Friday 21 February.

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

Our website www.svmag.co.za