Idris Pandor, Gem SchoolwearDurban, KZN, SA – Retail sales have picked up considerably since Monday and the trend will continue till the 14th. Each year with the volume of customers coming into the store we employ over 100 parttime staff in both our retail stores to assist with the sales. These PT staff get hands-on experience in th ...more 

Steelmaker Arcelor Mittal – Iscor in the good old days – announced the imminent closure of 2 plants, in Newcastle and Vereeniging. While Vereeniging is a major industrial area, Newcastle has been dependent on the jobs provided by coal mines – many now closed – and the steelmaker. We asked leather and apparel busine ...more 

Denver, Colorado, USA (08 January 2025) – VF Corporation, owner of The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Dickies and other brands, plans to release its third quarter fiscal 2025 financial results on Wednesday 29 January 2025 at approximately 6:55 a.m. ET. Following the release, VF management will host a conference call at approximately ...more 

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – Ostrich has been stable this year, Nile crocodile has been more challenging. There is still a demand in Europe for the top ostrich grades and top crocodile grades.However, the demand for crocodile in Europe has slowed down. This comes after a couple of years of high demand for Himalayan niloticus cro ...more 

Durban, KZN, SA - The cost of sea freight from China to SA has risen, and has been compounded by a shortage of space, according to component suppliers in China.In an email today to upper material wholesaler A. Greenaways (Natal), a supplier in China wrote: “The goods are ready, but can’t catch a ship this week. We can ship it ...more 

Durban, KZN, SA – The industry is very quiet at the moment. Customers tell me that the chains are holding back until after the elections, and that come June and July, there will be good orders. I certainly hope so.Something which disturbs me, and I’m not a shopper, is that the shoe areas in most apparel chains seem to be much ...more 

Johannesburg, Gauteng, SA – Fashion group Dangee Carken is launching a PPE division.An initial range of imported safety footwear and locally made workwear, branded GrittGear, will launch in October.Director Robby Stoller said the group had been working on the project for over 6 months. He said an industry specialist would be joining ...more 

The application to resurrect 4Tify Africa – formerly North Safety – and other subsidiaries of African Boomerang Holdings, was withdrawn following the death in March of former CEO Craig Garvie, attorney Kobus van Niekerk, of JI van Niekerk Inc., has confirmed.“The business rescue applications were withdrawn,” he wro ...more 

New Germany, KZN, SA – In general, our business is up substantially, though I’m not sure where it’s coming from, because many of our customers have downsized their workforces, or even closed.I’ve tried to analyse it, and I think we’ve picked up new business since North closed. But I think the main reason is t ...more 

Durban, KZN, SA – With new owners globally (Authentic Brands Group), new owners locally (LA Group), new management, and an evolving and difficult local market, there were always going to be changes to the way Boardriders does business.Its 10 surf- and skateboard orientated brands dominate their niches, “but we need to grow bey ...more 

Benoni, Gauteng, SA – Cossen, a micro footwear manufacturer-cum-retailer founded by entrepreneur Nelisiwe Cossa, is 1 of 5 new entrepreneurs being helped to establish itself as a viable business by shopping centre group Vukile Property Fund in its Daveyton Mall in Benoni.Having herself learnt the basics of design, pattern cutting an ...more 

Many – most – just about all – independent retailers believe that South African shopping centre managements discriminate against them, and they say most malls are just a rehash of the same chains, over and over again.Vukile Property Fund, which has around 30 medium size centres around SA serving mostly middle class consu ...more 

The Leather Industries Research Institute (LIRI) was a research, education and training provider located on the Rhodes University campus, based in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. In 1938, the Rhodes University College initiated a small, but successful tanning/hides/skins section in the Chemistry Department. The department was formed as a resp ...more 

On Sunday 13th July, SLF was proud to mark a significant milestone — 5 years of the Sustainable Leather Foundation!Since our launch in 2020, we’ve been dedicated to making the leather industry more transparent, responsible, and sustainable. Thanks to our growing worldwide community, we’ve:✅ Developed practical tools to ...more 

Africa is moving towards greater integration, towards opportunity, and towards self-sustaining growth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).This presents a timely and strategic opportunity for Ethiopia to leverage its natural renewable resources, its growing technological base, and its skilled workforce to take its plac ...more 

On 6th March 2025, The Dept of Employment & Labour published (Government Gazette No 52226), the new 2024 Noise Exposure Regulations which will replace the 2003 Noise-Induces Hearing Loss Regulations in 18-momths time. This 18-month period is being allowed, so we, the employers, have an 18- month period to achieve the new 2024 Noise Ex ...more 

How the operation is being rolled out in practice is explained in a Q&A session between S&V Protect and Dr. Martin Hamann, CEO of S Mile Solutions (Pty) Ltd.How many of these vehicles are in use?Currently only Prototype II on a Hilux in Namibia.How are the vehicles staffed?It is operated by an NGO and only needs a driver and a nur ...more 

A project to take basic medical care to the most remote communities – developed by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Germany – is being trialled in South Africa and Namibia by S Mile Solutions (Pty) Ltd, part of Stellenbosch University LaunchLab. ...more