Key Points
- Cross-fibre strength: Salmon leather’s lattice fibres deliver high tear resistance (≈90 N at <1 mm) and natural water resistance—light yet tough.
- Tight QC: Only 30–40% of skins make premium grade after visual, thickness, and moisture/fat checks; batches are classified pre-tanning for consistent results.
- Veg-tan discipline: Precise control of pH, temperature, and tannin avoids brittleness; longer cycles and more hand-softening, with a narrower colour range.
- Fish on the outside for identity; cow inside for stability. Durability tests back belts/pouches; finished goods show <2% failure.
Full interview with Maher Sellami
1. What makes salmon leather structurally distinct from cow or exotic leathers?
Unlike traditional hides, salmon leather features a cross-fiber structure rather than the parallel fibers found in mammalian skins. This structural difference gives it exceptional tear resistance relative to its thickness, up to 90 Newton (~90 kg) for less than 1mm, making it both lightweight and surprisingly strong. Another standout feature is its natural water resistance, eliminating the need for chemical treatments typically required for other leathers.
2. How do you assess and standardise the quality of skins sourced from local fishmongers?
Only about 30 to 40% of the skins we collect meet our premium quality standards. Each one undergoes a three-step selection protocol: we begin with a visual inspection for scale pattern integrity and knife marks, followed by thickness grading, and finally, an assessment of moisture and fat content. Skins are then batch-classified prior to tanning, ensuring consistency in finish, color uptake, and tensile performance. This upstream sorting is essential to offer designers a predictable and reliable material.
3. What specific challenges arise when vegetable tanning fish hide?
Vegetable tanning fish leather is delicate work. Fish skins are thinner and more reactive, requiring exacting control of pH, temperature, and tannin concentration to avoid brittleness or distortion. Achieving supple texture while retaining the definition of scale patterns is no small feat, this is where our proprietary process and long, careful tanning cycles make a tangible difference. It’s also worth noting that this method demands more manual softening and naturally limits our range of available colors.
4. How do you optimize cutting layouts given the irregularity of salmon skins?
We design around the skin, not in spite of it. Our pattern logic is built to respect its organic shapes, especially for small leather goods, straps, and panels. For larger surfaces, we rely on couture-level invisible patchworking, transforming what could be seen as irregularity into a refined design asset. Even the smallest remaining fragments are put to use, we craft accessories like earrings, ensuring no piece is wasted and every skin is fully valorised.
5. Why pair fish leather exteriors with cow leather interiors, what does each material contribute?
Fish leather brings visual distinction and a bold identity to the outer shell, while cow leather offers the structural stability, abrasion resistance, and comfort needed for interiors. This duality mirrors our design philosophy: innovation and narrative on the outside, reassurance and performance on the inside. It also allows us to keep the interior clean and free of unnecessary patterns.
6. How does Tunisia’s local context affect your material sourcing or processing?
Tunisia provides both proximity to Mediterranean fish sources and a deep-rooted culture of leather craftsmanship. Though salmon isn’t native to local waters, it’s imported in large quantities by industrial fish processors, generating waste streams of valuable hides. We tap into this overlooked resource, securing shorter supply chains and improved traceability. With transport emissions reduced by up to 70% compared to exotic imported hides, and direct control over processing, Tunisia enables us to deliver ethical luxury at a competitive price.
7. Could AI search tools help streamline traceability for upcycled leathers like yours?
Absolutely. AI-assisted traceability can interlink source data, batch histories, tanning parameters, and carbon metrics into a unified, searchable interface. This creates not only faster compliance checks and more transparent storytelling, but also integrates seamlessly into ESG reporting frameworks. We’re already working with a local tech startup to introduce digital passports that track the journey of every product.
8. What limits the scalability of fish leather, and how are you addressing it?
Fish leather's scale limitations stem largely from the smaller size of the skins and the labor-intensive processing. To counter this, we’ve diversified our sourcing across species, introduced standardised grading, embraced modular design strategies, and adopted a philosophy of controlled, quality-first growth. The bigger hurdle, however, is funding. Unlike in IT and software, material innovation struggles to attract early capital, you have to grow first, then funding might follow.
9. What material misconceptions do buyers have about fish leather?
The biggest myths are that fish leather smells, is delicate, or that it’s an “exotic but impractical” novelty. In fact, once properly tanned, it loses any odor from day one, shows abrasion resistance comparable to cowhide, and is naturally water-resistant. Our finished goods demonstrate a failure rate below 2%, confirming its viability as a true luxury performance material.
10. How do you test durability for belts and pouches under regular use?
We simulate daily wear with a series of rigorous tests. Belts undergo tensile stress trials, pouches face opening and closing cycles, and both materials are subjected to abrasion and humidity testing. These simulations ensure our goods can withstand the pressures of real-world use, validating their strength beyond the workshop.
11. In your view, what standards or certifications could better support niche materials like fish leather in achieving wider trust and procurement viability?
More inclusive frameworks like an expanded LWG (Leather Working Group) or tailored OEKO-TEX Leather Standards would do much to elevate the profile of upcycled leathers. These certifications could serve as gateways to procurement, offering clearer definitions and benchmarks for alternative materials. Our stance is simple: fish leather isn’t an alternative, it’s a next-generation luxury, engineered for traceability, resilience, and commercial scalability.
