Something Totally Different

Tanned Fish Skins

I have started to volunteer at a skill-sharing place in a nearby town, I have only been once, so can't talk much about it just yet.

The current workshops are so completely different, very few people have heard about it - before I tried it, I had no idea either!

We are preparing fish skins ready for tanning into leather - how unusual is that?

Scales Being Removed

It is a much more eco-friendly alternative to crocodile or snake skin, but looks and feels very similar.

The process is fascinating, we are using Scottish salmon fish skins, they have to have the scales removed, which I thought was a shame because the iridescence is quite eye-catching, but they have to go.  The pattern of the scales is still seen on the skin after tanning. The tanning process involves a lot of washing in different levels of tanning agent and oil is involved at some point, but I haven't got that far yet.

Anyway, did you know that the idea for sequins came from fish scales?