The Story of Nordic Fish Leather
With sustainability in mind, the idea for a special company was born in Iceland about twenty years ago. Fishing has always played an important part in this region. The skins of the caught fish previously had no purpose. They were dumped into the garbage. Nordic Fish Leather has given this ‘waste’ a new purpose by turning it into topnotch quality fish leather.
Nordic Fish Leather builds on an ancient tradition. As far back as the 9th century, the Vikings used their craftmanship to make fish leather shoes that could withstand the extreme cold. We now mainly know the Vikings from stories, but the shoes can still be found in many Icelandic homes. “My grandparents were among the people who wore these shoes,” says Hlynur, COO and co-owner of Nordic Fish Leather.
In addition to the living link to history, sustainability is fully intertwined with the way Nordic Fish Leather works. The energy in the tannery is generated entirely by heat and water sources from the area. In addition, only the skins of sustainably caught fish are used for the leather, with globally acknowledged quality assurance. Because the fish comes from regional waters, the impact from transportation on the environment is also very limited. The tannery itself manages the entire process from tanning to finishing. There is a lot of quality control. Great for designers who want to work with a natural and responsible material.
About fish leather
Fish leather is thin, but extremely strong due to the fiber structure of the hide. Where the fibers lie next to each other in traditional types of leather, the fiber structure is woven together in fish leather. In addition, fish leather gives your design a unique look-and-feel. At Leatherbox we offer fish leather from salmon and the unique spotted catfish. Follow the footsteps of the Vikings and choose leather from Nordic Fish Leather!