Bulawayo’s design studio to transform region’s leather industry
ZIMBABWE is poised to play a leading role in the transformation of the leather sector in the region through the establishment of the modern Satellite Leather Design Studio in Bulawayo, which is expected to be officially commissioned in August.
Supported by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the project is one of the milestones towards consolidating the leather value chain in the country and will be a key feature as Zimbabwe prepares to host the 2024 Sadc Summit.
The satellite leather design studio is being funded by Comesa to the tune of 150 000 euros. This is part of the efforts to position Zimbabwe for enhanced quality standards and increased domestic value-added output.
In an update during the ongoing two-day Solidaridad and Zimbabwe Leather Development Council (ZLDC) key stakeholders Zimbabwe Leather Sector Strategy (ZLSS) implementation matrix review workshop, Mr Makundano Maturure, from the Leather Institute of Zimbabwe said they have started renovations in preparation for leather design studio equipment installation.
“The demolishing of old structures and renovations of where the studio will be established have resumed. We used to have a fenced compound, but we will be having a perimeter wall for the LIZ.
“Comesa has approved the release of funds for the purchase of design studio equipment and tools, which we hope between July and August we should have received equipment for installation,” he said.
“They have also released funds to the technician who will come to do the installations. As we speak, the works have resumed and yesterday, I was speaking to the contractor and he said they are putting tiles where the studio will be installed.
“If all goes well, we want to take advantage of the Sadc Summit where the heads of Sadc states will be gathered in Harare to launch the studio since it is a Sadc project.”
As the incoming chair of the regional organisation, Zimbabwe will host the Sadc Summit in Harare, at the new Parliament Building in Mt Hampden, in August 2024.
Mr Maturure said if the studio is opened, there will be some training on key thematic areas, which include product development and designing, which will assist in improving the quality of the products.
“This will help us to have good quality products, which will be able to penetrate the international market,” he said.
Meanwhile, the workshop revealed that since the launch of the Zimbabwe Leather Sector Strategy (2021-2030), the sector has managed to achieve positive strides, including gaining recognition in the region.
In an interview on the sidelines of the workshop, ZLDC secretary, Mr Jacob Nyathi said local products in the sector have managed to penetrate Sadc countries, which include Botswana and South Africa.
He urged small-scale producers in the leather value chain to embrace quality standards and follow proper procedures to access the market. During the workshop, participants also raised concerns over capacity-building gaps, quality assurance and securing a more lucrative market.
The leather industry is one of the low-hanging fruits for Zimbabwe with the potential for higher employment, growth and value-added exports in line with Vision 2030 ideals. —-chroicle
