Functional Footwear, the rejuvenated Midlands footwear manufacturer, is planning to kick some serious butt in the industry with it’s new shop.
Although its retail outlet at Tweedie Junction is new, the company’s DNA – and its famous Leatherback/Strops range – has been around since 1988.
Its founder, the late Steve Croudace, launched the business after reworking the design of a pair of sandals he had seen in America.
“It was an outdoor-styled water-compatible shoe with Velcro straps,” said MD Dylan van Zyl. “Think flip-flops with ankle straps. He called them Strops.”
Croudace, the son of a chiropodist, had a keen interest in shoes, and every shoe that moved through the household was discussed and criticised. “This obsessive dedication is evident in all the footwear that has been made by Functional Footwear under either the Strops or the Leatherback brand names,” Van Zyl added.
The Strops sandals, a first in the country, attracted huge attention, and soon the business had to run 24 hours a day to meet demand. The range expanded to include hiking boots and other footwear.
Croudace died of cancer three years ago, but his legacy lives on, with his wife and family still major shareholders in the business, along with entrepreneur/businessman Duncan Stewart.
Stewart brought on board the experienced Van Zyl, whose CV includes shoe design for Mr Price and Woolworths, and being product manager for Tomy Takkies and Bata.
Van Zyl is passionate about the company, and hugely excited about the opening of a retail outlet.
“It’s time the Midlands was exposed to some cool new footwear,” he said.
The shop stocks not only Strops and other sandals, hiking boots and ladies’ shoes, but leather goods such as bags, belts and wallets.
The products are all made at the factory in the picturesque hills of Mafakhatini, close to Mpophomeni.
Here, under the watchful eye of factory manager Emmson Njiva, the staff can produce up to 600 items a month.
“We also do a range of ‘grandpa’ sandals for schools, and sheepskin slippers, supplying many of the Midlands schools,” said Van Zyl. The most ordered and worn school sandal, however, was the hard-wearing, tough Strops. “Strops are also in huge demand by game rangers and get sold into Africa and Madagascar.”
Van Zyl said growing the brand organically was a priority. “The Leatherback brand came from when Steve, who considered them the ultimate world traveller, made some GPS harnesses for the old Parks Board to use when tracking the migratory patterns of the leatherback turtles. We’ve maintained that type of link: two years ago we made a special leather boot for an injured African penguin that was taken in by uShaka Marine World.
“As part of our corporate social responsibility, we would like to stay involved in this kind of project.”
Under the mentorship of Stewart, “an incredible businessman and entrepreneur and who provides me with amazing guidance”, Van Zyl said another goal was to “harness a crafty yet ruggedly Euro-African look and feel to the shop, with Nguni skins, masks, sculptures and items created by local leather artists”.
Functional Footwear will have a stand at the Royal Show. (May 26 to June 4).