Sharing the Stream: Swimming Together to Create Fish Leather
7 Leagues has always been community-focused, so naturally, we are conscious of the importance of Indigenous stewardship and the significance of ancestral territories. There is a misconception that business and economics are post-settler constructions, when in fact the Indigenous peoples of the Americas had advanced economic structures of their own. The stewardship and allocation of natural resources is a practice that dates back before time immemorial, and the Pacific Northwest is no exception.
What's In a Name? A dive into why we are called 7 Leagues
Happy International Women's Day 2022!
Our Ladyboss, Tasha Nathanson shares her story of being the CEO of a social enterprise and the path she took to get there. Both reflective and forward looking, here’s what our Ladyboss is thinking about on this important day.
The Fish in the Machine
Home fish leather tanning has taken off almost like sourdough bread baking during the pandemic. But just like kneading and baking a loaf by hand at home is unlike dependably supplying grocery stores with bread, so too is commercial tanning different than do-it-yourself. Moving from artisanal hand-production to a consistent and reliable commercial product, achieving marketable economies of scale, and reaching our goals of socially responsible hiring requires machinery.
7L TAGS
This article is our seasonal catch, tagged for your attention
Does Fish Skin Have a Future in Fashion?
by Gia Yetikyel
Elisa Palomino-Perez sheepishly admits to believing she was a mermaid as a child. Growing up in Cuenca, Spain in the 1970s and ‘80s, she practiced synchronized swimming and was deeply fascinated with fish. Now, the designer’s love for shiny fish scales and majestic oceans has evolved into an empowering mission, to challenge today’s fashion industry to be more sustainable, by using fish skin as a material.
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Check out the rest of this article on the insights of fish leather in the fashion world
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7 Leagues Feature in BC Forest Professionals Magazine
What do Nike, BMW, Prada, Christian Dior, and Louis Vuitton have in common? Using leather made from fish. It's a new-old material increasingly used for its low environmental impact, high beauty, and durability.
Leather and shoemaking aren't industries FPInnovations was associated with in the past. But in an era where interconnectivity is everything, FPInnovations' and 7 Leagues' paths were bound to meet.
Check out the rest of this feature on our collaboration with the forestry sector. Flip to page 10 to continue reading...
Saman's Creations: Sewing Fish Leather
From a young age I was exposed to the language of textiles as expressed through clothes and home interiors. This is a cherished tradition passed down through generations within my South Asian culture. For this reason, my mother is a tailor and since her teen years she has designed her own Pakistani clothes and accessories. She also always taught me the importance of being independent and supporting oneself and others through innovative skills. So, when I came across the internship position at 7 Leagues, I was intrigued with fish leather as a textile. Though I am working here as a communications intern, I knew I would also want to test and make something of my own.
I’ve been in the Eager Beaver position for just over a month and I already have a corner of my room dedicated to 7 Leagues. Currently, I have an overflowing bag of fish leather samples and a very heavy box of leather crafting tools. I decided I would make coasters with the first samples (image 1) I collected. Looking back, this was ambitious considering I did not have upholstery thread, a press, or a wider needle for my sewing machine.
Nonetheless, I was so excited that I began randomly sewing scrap pieces together because I wanted to get a feel for the material. I came to the realization that each sample would have to be treated differently. The samples varied in thickness, smoothness, and flexibility depending on the leather making process and use of tannins (image 2). I would need to adapt the skills I used for each piece in order to succeed at sewing fish leather. During the process my mother often looked over my shoulder to make cheeky comments about how I was finally being patient with my sewing.
After becoming familiar with the fish leather pieces, I identified that the coho and sockeye salmon leather samples were the easiest to sew. They were relatively thin, flexible, and looked great! (image 3) The smoked sockeye and halibut were a little tougher to sew, as they are thicker, although I am sure that with a thicker needle, upholstery thread, and finishing tools it could be done.
From the sewn scrap pieces, I cut out the dimensions to make 2 coasters and sewed 2 layers together (image 4). The coasters are definitely not professional looking as they were not smoothed around the edges or the thread and needle did not pierce the material perfectly.
The coasters may not be the best presentation of my sewing skills, but I do feel accomplished considering this was my first experience working with leather. I am grateful I get the opportunity to work with my hands and imagine an outcome different from the ordinary workday. As my corner full of 7 League’s supplies grow, I am hopeful to create something great within the upcoming days or weeks.
I’ll be sure to share my journey with you. Take a moment to follow 7 Leagues on social media if you want to come along with me as I experiment.
Small Bites
Bite-sized, facts, figures, and stats.
