S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol. 12 No. 22, June 01 2026

Download PDF

To prevent our emails from being false flagged as spam and to ensure you receive our publications, please consider white listing our email address - tony@svmag.co.za

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

Trading conditions

Good for some

Lenasia, Gauteng, SA - Trading is good at the moment because of the weather, with customers buying winter clothing, Sam Mayet, member of Barrenger’s Apparel said on Saturday. “I can’t speak for everyone, but the year so far has been okay,” he said.

Seminar

Sarlen to hold first leather webinar

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA - The Southern African Regional Leather Network (SARLEN) will hold its first webinar, entitled Sustainable leather production: From process innovation to market opportunity, on Friday 12 June from11.30-13.00 CAT. The speakers will be Deborah Taylor, MD of the Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF), and Dr Cecilia China, founder and CEO of AfriTech Organic Leather Co. Ltd. For further information and to register, the WhatsApp contact is +27 (0)83 765 9207.

Charity

SAFLIA & SAFLEC support Toughees million pair campaign

On 29 May 2026, SAFLIA and SAFLEC proudly joined Bata South Africa and East Coast Radio at the Toughees “Call In & Change a Child’s Future” campaign, an inspiring initiative aimed at helping deliver one million pairs of school shoes to children who need them most.
     Representing the footwear and leather industry, SAFLEC Executive Director Nerisha Jairaj and SAFLIA Executive Director Zamani Oliphant participated in the live broadcast to highlight not only the social impact of providing school shoes to learners, but also the broader economic impact of supporting locally manufactured products.
     A locally made school shoe does far more than protect a child’s feet and support their education journey. It also sustains South African factories, protects jobs, supports local suppliers and strengthens entire communities that depend on the footwear value chain.
     The campaign provided an excellent platform to reinforce the importance of choosing locally manufactured footwear and to showcase how industry, retailers, manufacturers, government and consumers can work together to create meaningful social and economic outcomes.
     SAFLIA and SAFLEC remain committed to speaking with a united voice in support of our members and the broader footwear and leather sector. Through initiatives such as these, we continue to champion local manufacturing, job creation, export growth and sustainable industry development.
     We congratulate Bata South Africa, East Coast Radio and their partners on this impactful initiative and thank them for providing an opportunity to promote both social upliftment and the value of supporting South African manufacturing.

Financial results

The North Face and Timberland up, VF still flat overall

Denver, Colorado, U.S. (20 May 2026) - VF Corporation, which owns The North Face, Vans and Timberland, showed “a full year of growth” in its financial results for the 4th quarter – $2.1 billion - and the full year – $9.5 billion – 2026, ended 28 March 2026.
     For the year, revenue was up 1% or +4% excluding Dickies, which was sold in the 3rd quarter. Revenue for the quarter was up 1% or +8% excluding Dickies.
     It said revenue growth in the quarter was “driven by momentum in the Americas”, which was up 2%, the region’s highest growth since Q1 2023.
     For the year, The North Face was up 8% to $4 billion, Vans was down (9%), to $2.1 billion, and Timberland was up 8% to $1.7 billion.
     For the quarter, The North Face was up 12% to $935 million, Vans was down (1%) to $486 million, and Timberland was up 8% to $404 million.
     Overall, for the quarter, VF revenue grew 2% in the Americas, but showed no growth for the year. EMEA was up 1% and 4% respectively, APAC was 0% and (1%) respectively.
     DTC grew 4% and 2% respectively, and wholesale (1%) and 1% respectively.
     Gary Green, CEO of the Sector Group, which distributes The North Face in SA, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Mauritius and Mozambique, said Q4 2025 revenue showed 2.3% growth on the same period in 2024.
     Keystone Apparel, which distributes Timberland in SA, didn’t respond to a request for comparative figures.

They Said It

“My life has been a tapestry of experiences, woven with threads of resilience, creativity, and unwavering determination.” - Azande Ndebele, founder and director of Shlobo Designs, whose story is indeed remarkable. An article will appear in the June issue of Shoes & Views.

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

Dries, Sales, Hoka, South Africa
P Oeschger, Sales, Rsc Industrial Supplies, Krugersdorp, South Africa
Esais, Recycler, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Asha, HR and Social media director, JFK Trading, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Azande Ndebele, Business Owner, Shlobo Designs, Glenwood, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Birthdays this week

01/06/1942: Chris Horne, The Little Slipper Company, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
02/06/1947: Anver Carrim, Colam Trading cc t/a Yankees, Rustenburg, N.W. Province, SA.
02/06/1975: Shaun Ganesh, formerly Nikkita Footwear (closed), Durban, KZN, SA.
02/06/1983: Jana van Vuuren, Maraschino Shoes, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
03/06/1957: Ada 'Vymie' Vymětal, retired, formerly Rhodesian Bata Shoe Co., Eddels and SA Bureau of Standards, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
03/06/1958: Tom Bailey, Bolton Footwear, Great Brak River, W. Cape, SA.
03/06/1963: Annemarie Murray, Simply Chique Boutique, Reitz, Free State, SA.
04/06/1946: Hamish Whyte, Welbourne Shoes, Robertson, W. Cape, SA.
04/06/1956: Romualdo Varela, left SA, formerly Zenda (closed), Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
04/06/1969: Conrad Kalp, Oh Sole Footwear, Pretoria, Gauteng, SA.
05/06/1929: Hannes Louw, retired, formerly KKI, Mossel Bay, W. Cape, SA.
05/06/1960: Tom Bassage, CC Leather, Pietermaritzburg, KZN, SA.
06/06/1951: Yusuf Mayet, Come Duze Store, Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA.
06/06/1963: José Leite, SA Polymers & Compounds, Gillitts, KZN, SA.
06/06/1966: Owen Mathers, Max-Cowell, Port Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA.
06/06/1975: Viren Kuarsing, Angel Footwear, Durban, KZN, SA.
06/06/1978: Iain Robertson, Robroy Agencies (Pty) Ltd, Durban, KZN, SA.
07/06/1959: Anton Klopper, Kloppers, Bloemfontein, Free State, SA.
07/06/1984: Clenton Govender, Prisaan Footwear (closed), Pinetown, KZN, SA.

In memoriam this week

01/06/1992: Harry Gassert, formerly Panther Shoe Co (closed), Cape Town, W. Cape, SA.
01/06/2021: Rajeev 'Rocky' Kumar (b. 03/08/1967), Vision Sports, Gaborone, Botswana.
03/06/2016: Joop de Voest (b. 21/01/1954), Marketing & Planning Consulting Services, De Rust, W. Cape, SA.
04/06/2002: Rex Phillipson (b. 13/4/1917), Picaninni Shoes (closed), Durban, KZN, SA.
06/06/2001: Willem Elbers (b. 09/04/1941), East Cape Tanning (closed)/BASF, Uitenhage, E. Cape, SA.
06/06/2002: Willie Compion (b. 21/10/1929), G&D Shoes (closed), Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
06/06/2013: Willem Lubbe (b.25/01/1925), AP Lubbe & Son (closed), Stellenbosch, 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

Barrenger’s Apparel cc, Lenasia, Gauteng, SA.
Shlobo Designs (Pty) Ltd, 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 Gold (ZiG)

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

Note: For previous rates, see HERE

ABSA Agri Trends: Hides & skins prices

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA (29 May 2026) - The current average hide price increased by 0.50% to R2,254/kg from R2.242/kg, in the previous week. The current price is 0.20% higher than the average price a month ago and was 8.4% lower than the average price a year ago. The range of prices reported was as follows: Minimum price: R2.00 Maximum price: R2.70. 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:

Jaimee H. Exclusive Ladies’ Clothing, Meyersdal Gauteng, SA. Women’s apparel retailer.
Jamnadas Tailors & Outfitters, Polokwane/Pietersburg, Limpopo, SA. Men’s outfitter.

THIS WEEK LAST YEAR!

Wages: Still no settlements in General Goods & Handbags, Footwear

Appointment: Steve Pearson has joined Cape Union Mart as GM

Academic presentations: Saiosh 2025 Health & Safety Conference

PASA 13th Biennial Podiatry Congress

In case you missed it!: The May issue of S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.11 No.22, June 2 2025

THIS WEEK FIVE YEARS AGO!!

Price hikes leading to cancellations, and no end in sight to high shipping costs

Stock Exchange News Services (SENS)
- Steinhoff liquidation bid to be heard in September
- Mr Price final results March 2021
- Pepkor interim results March 2021

Outbreak of FMD in KZN

READ IT HERE - S&V Weekly Newsletter Vol.7 No.22, May 31 2021

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: Monday 08 June, 2026. Ad and editorial deadline Friday 05 June 2026.

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

Our website www.svmag.co.za