1. Where did you get the skins from?
2. Does it smell like fish?
3. Is the skin as strong as normal leather?
4. Can you keep the natural color of the fish?
5. What is tanning?
6. What is glazing?
7. How many species of fish do you use?
8. What can the leather be used for?
9. What other benefits are there for using fish to create leather?
Our Offerings
10. What’s the current availability of fish leather?
11. I would like to purchase 2 suede fishskins in magenta, 2 in black and 1 in demerara. Can you accommodate this?
12. Do you publish a catalog?
13. Do you ever participate at trade shows like Lineapelle or APLF?
1. Where did you get the skins from?
Some fish were easy to catch and some not so much ;). The skins came from canning fisheries worldwide. They were collected as a cast off waste product from fish processing.
2. Does it smell like fish?
No. The products are odorless like any other leather. Our friends, Meeka and Milo, agree. Our tanning process completely removed fish oils and replaced them with stabilized oils, leaving the leather odor-free. The finished product has no fishy smell—just the clean scent of quality leather.
3. Is the skin as strong as normal leather?
Fish leather is generally around the same strength as sheepskin, making it suitable for accessories, watch straps, and fine goods where flexibility and durability are both important.4. Can you keep the natural color of the fish?
Unfortunately 70 – 80% of fish color is contained within the scales, which were removed in the tanning process. The result is a neutral colored skin available in various dyed colors.5. What is tanning?
Tanning is a process that changes the fibres of any skin, through use of a “tannin”, into leather fibres. The skin changes occur both internally and externally.6. What is glazing?
Glazing is a specialized leather process to add a protectant to the outside surface of the leather to protect it from dirt, grease, grime, and excessive wear. It is a polymer resin that is sprayed onto the surface of the leather, allowed to dry, then plated down with heat and pressure to make the leather water-resistant and scotch-gardable.7. How many species of fish do you use?
We had made leather products with 21 different species of fish, carp being the most popular, because it makes the largest patterns. Current offerings are carp, perch, salmon and sea bass.8. What can the leather be used for?
Anything that a normal land based leather can be used for. Our leather has been used to make shoes, handbags, belts, hats, wallets and other apparel and accessory items. It has also been used for jewellery and book binding.9. What other benefits are there for using fish to create leather?
The benefits are both ecological and economical. By reusing these skins, we are recycling what would otherwise be thrown out. Fishkins are less of a pollutant than other leathers because only the scales need to be taken off.10. What’s the current availability of fish leather?
While our Ontario tannery partner has closed and custom tanning is no longer available, we hold extensive inventory of premium Canadian-tanned fish leather—thousands of skins in various species, colors, and finishes. Our stock includes carp in both suede and glazed finishes, plus suede-finish salmon, perch, and sea bass. We’re actively working with customers to match their projects to available materials. Reach out with your specifications and we’ll confirm what we have in stock.11. I would like to purchase 2 suede fishskins in magenta, 2 in black and 1 in demerara. Can you accommodate this?
Sure. The 5 skin samplers and 10 skin samplers can be divided into color combinations of your choice. Add comments to your online order specifying this. Larger quantities may also be divided into a color mix.12. Do you publish a catalog?
Not other than for what is shown on the website. The website has a representation of different quantities, types of fish, types of finish and color combinations. With many thousands of skins in stock, many other combinations can be put together.13. Do you ever participate at trade shows like Lineapelle or APLF?
No. For customers outside of Calgary, a free 30-minute video consultation can now be booked, with a purchase, through our online appointment form to review stocklots, colors, and product options in detail.