Fish Leather Made From Highly Invasive Species Could Give Ocean Its Color Back
Image via Inversa Leathers
Sustainable leathers have been a talking point in the fashion industry these days, and although many have gone down the plant-based route, this new startup is swimming against the tide by turning to invasive fish.
Having gone diving off the coast of Florida through the years, Aarav Chavda was sad to see how the vibrancy of the waters and coral reefs was continually being washed out. The colorful fish that live here are disappearing, no thanks to the invasive lionfish.
Photo 142135369 © Dirk Jan Mattaar | Dreamstime.com
Don’t let those good looks enchant you. The spiky species has no natural predators where it hunts; it does the eating. Plus, its poisonous spines are deadly to other species, leading the US Department of Agriculture to determine the fish as invasive and a threat to marine populations.
While its prey are dying out, the lionfish’s imposing presence in Atlantic waters ranging from Florida to the Caribbean, and Brazil and Mexico to the Mediterranean, has only grown, the Guardian reports. It’s capable of wiping out 79% of young marine life in just five weeks of lurking into a coral reef system.
The visible loss of life in Florida’s waters has driven Chavda and his scuba-diving peers to launch Inversa Leathers, which turns lionfish into a unique breed of eco leather.
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By developing materials from this predator, the brand is “letting fashion heal the planet,” it describes. Chavda estimates that one hide can save the lives of up to 70,000 native reef fish.
The fish skin is tanned with drying agents to be turned into leather, before undergoing the dyeing process. Inversa Leathers doesn’t hunt the lionfish itself; rather, it educates fishers on the importance of safeguarding the ocean from lionfish, which would be putting their livelihoods at stake.
Admittedly, there’s little money in catching and selling the invasive species, as opposed to valuable marine creatures like lobsters. As such, the company hopes to work with fishing businesses to incentivize fishermen and fisherwomen with a “100% catch-to-cash guarantee” for lionfish.
While fish hide is much thinner than the usual leathers, its criss-cross fiber structure makes it sturdier than some versions. Inversa’s leather can “stand up to automotive-grade testing,” it says on its site. It can be used to produce bags, wallets, belts, and more.
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Further, since this leather comes from the sea, its production is not as carbon-intensive as traditional leathers that require soil and pasture.
As for which colors the material is available in, Inversa Leather says it constantly rolls out new shades in line with PANTONE trends from that season. The leather can also be dyed to match suggested colorways by fashion partners.
Image via Inversa Leathers
Inversa says it’s currently working on a product based on another invasive species, though the startup is keeping mum about the animal’s identity.
At the end of the day, the fish leather presents an all-rounded solution to maintaining the balance at land and sea. Not only will it keep the lionfish population under control, but it could also encourage the fashion industry to explore alternative materials, empower consumers to make responsible choices, and inspire fishing communities to revive the ocean, says Chavda.
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[via The Guardian and InsideHook, images via various sources]
