Fish skin tanning is largely practised in the colder regions of the world, it has to be kept cold before it is tanned.
There is one factory in Iceland that tans it commercially, using mainly cod, salmon and wolf fish. The skins go to fashion houses, shoe makers and are mainly used as a decorative extra. The skins are small, and so there is a limit to the possibilities for manufacturing goods without using a patchwork of skins.
Many ‘survivalist’ craft people tan the skins to make occasional practical things like knife sheaths.
Traditionally the Inuit and Sami peoples have used it to make clothing with extraordinary breathable and waterproof properties. New synthetic materials are used now and the skills are being lost.
Kari is interested in the different properties of each species, and also in a way of showing those properties in a contemporary way.
She tans the skins in a sustainable way, Oil or bark tanned, using simple ingredients like oil, soap and egg yolks.
Fish Skin Leather Objects
