FISHSKIN LEATHER - AN INNOVATIVE PRODUCT

Fishskin can be made into an innovative and exotic leather, but it has yet to gain general acceptance. This paper traces the historical orig ins of fishskin leather before drawing attention to a period when its use became a necessity, only to fade once traditional leathers became available. To succeed as a new product fishskin leather must be presen ted in such a way that it provides a unique appeal to customers as an addition to traditional leathers. Fishskins have a characteristic appe arance peculiar to each of the species. Some twenty species have so fa r been transformed into a viable leather material, and then marketed a s accessories, shoes and clothing. The processes involved in tanning t his relatively unknown leather, and the ways in which it is marketed a re described. There are many features that make fishskin a desirable l eather but in order for its products to become popular in the market-p lace, efforts will be needed to create manufacturer, retailer and cust omer demand.