Fish Skin Fashion

I’ve been contemplating the complexity of animal products in fashion recently. Growing up, I’ve always thought that fur was bad. But is it still bad if it is harvested by Indigenous peoples using traditional or even modern humane practices and that respect and use the entire animal? What about leather versus hide? Something I had not thought about was fish skin leather. So, an article by Palomino, Phiri, and Karadottir (2020) caught my attention.

Several arctic communities used fish-skin, but the article focuses on Icelandic history. Icelanders held the skins of fish up with respect so they worked to use them rather than waste them. They could be eaten, used to make shoes, and sometimes even used to bind books. Apparently, the skin of wolffish and leopard fish were the most commonly used because they were often big enough to supply a pair of shoes for a grown up and for a child. There were different styles as well.

Since 1994, the Atlantic Leather tannery has been processing fish leather on the north coast of Iceland. The founder has revitalized the art as part of tradition, national identity, and increasing desire to reduce waste. They use geothermal energy to produce the leather and use four non-endangered species to produce different colours, textures, and finishes. It is biodegradable and is long-lived. Apparently, it is one of the stronger types of leather. The plant is creating jobs in fishing, which were declining, and in an area of Iceland where many people follow a subsistence existence.

The fish leather is part of the circular economy. They source the skins from the food industry, reducing waste there, and then provide a useful resource for clothing and fashion with some pretty major brands purchasing from Atlantic Leather. But I have one question at this point. What if the cost of fish leather, as it builds in global demand, pushes out local, traditional use. Will the local people still be able to afford fish leather shoes if someone like Taylor Swift wears a pair?

I do want to see fish leather in person. I’m so curious as to what it looks like.