FISHSkin · Project

Turning Fish Waste Skins Into Premium Sustainable Leather for Fashion

manufacturingPrototypeTRL 4

Imagine every time fish is processed for food, the skin just gets thrown away. This project figured out how to turn that waste into real leather — dyed, printed, and finished — that fashion brands can actually use. It's like upcycling orange peels into perfume, except here fish skins become handbags and shoes. A team across 6 countries brought together marine biologists, material scientists, and fashion designers to make fish leather work at industrial scale.

By the numbers

consortium partners across disciplines

countries collaborating (CH, IL, IS, IT, JP, UK)

industry partners involved in development

EUR 552,000

EU contribution to the project

total project deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

The fashion industry faces mounting pressure to find sustainable alternatives to traditional leather, which carries a heavy environmental footprint from cattle farming and chemical-intensive tanning. Meanwhile, the fish processing industry discards millions of tons of skins annually as waste. There is currently no established industrial supply chain connecting fish skin waste to fashion-grade leather production.

The solution

What was built

The project produced a prototype portfolio of fish leather samples demonstrating innovations in dyeing, printing, finishing, and material manipulation. Across 10 deliverables, the team developed techniques for transforming raw fish skins into fashion-grade material using sustainable tanning and surface treatment methods.

Audience

Who needs this

Sustainable fashion brands seeking alternative leather materialsTanneries looking to diversify into new material categoriesFish processing companies wanting to monetize skin wasteTextile printers and finishers expanding into specialty materialsLuxury goods manufacturers targeting eco-conscious consumers

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Fashion & Luxury Goods

SME

Target: Sustainable fashion brands and leather goods manufacturers

If you are a fashion brand struggling to meet consumer demand for sustainable materials while maintaining quality — this project developed a portfolio of fish leather samples with proven dyeing, printing, and finishing techniques. The consortium of 12 partners across 6 countries validated these methods with 5 industry partners. Fish leather offers a circular economy alternative that uses waste from the food industry as your raw material.

Leather Tanning & Processing

mid-size

Target: Tanneries and leather treatment companies looking for new material lines

If you are a tannery facing tightening environmental regulations on traditional cattle hide processing — this project developed industrial-scale techniques for tanning and surface treatment of fish skins. With 5 industry partners involved in testing, the methods were designed for real production environments. Fish skin tanning uses less water and chemicals than conventional leather processing.

Aquaculture & Fish Processing

any

Target: Fish farms and seafood processors generating skin waste

If you are a fish processor discarding skins as waste — this project created a pathway to turn that byproduct into a revenue stream. The consortium connected mariculture with the fashion industry, proving fish skins can be processed into commercial-grade leather. Instead of paying for waste disposal, you could sell skins to leather manufacturers as a viable raw material.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would fish leather cost compared to traditional leather?

The project data does not include specific pricing. However, fish leather uses waste skins from the food industry, which means raw material costs are inherently lower. Actual pricing would depend on tanning and finishing processes developed by the 12-partner consortium.

Can fish leather be produced at industrial scale?

The project explicitly aimed to develop techniques for market take-up of fish leather at industrial scale. With 5 industry partners and a prototype portfolio demonstrating dyeing, printing, and finishing capabilities, the groundwork for scaling has been laid. Full industrial production would require further investment in production lines.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I license it?

The project was funded under MSCA-RISE (staff exchange program) with EUR 552,000 EU contribution across 12 partners in 6 countries. IP arrangements would be governed by the consortium agreement. Contact the coordinator at Shenkar Engineering, Design, Art in Israel for licensing inquiries.

What regulations apply to fish leather products?

Fish leather would need to comply with REACH regulations for chemical substances used in tanning and finishing within the EU. Based on available project data, the project focused on sustainable and responsible sourcing methods, which should align well with incoming EU textile sustainability requirements.

How long before fish leather products could reach market?

The project ran from 2019 to 2024 and produced a prototype portfolio of finished samples. Based on available project data, the technology is at demonstration stage. A company with existing leather processing infrastructure could potentially bring products to market within 1-2 years of licensing the techniques.

Can fish leather integrate with existing manufacturing equipment?

The project developed techniques for tanning, dyeing, printing, and surface treatment — processes that largely parallel conventional leather manufacturing. Based on available project data, the methods were designed with market uptake in mind, suggesting compatibility with existing tannery infrastructure was a design consideration.

Consortium

Who built it

The FISHSkin consortium brings together 12 partners from 6 countries — Israel, Iceland, Italy, UK, Switzerland, and Japan — combining expertise from fashion, marine biology, and material science. With 5 industry partners (42% of the consortium), the project has stronger commercial grounding than a typical MSCA-RISE exchange program. The coordinator, Shenkar Engineering Design Art in Israel, is a well-known design and engineering college. The geographic spread is notable: Iceland and Japan bring deep fish processing traditions, Italy contributes world-class leather and fashion expertise, and the UK adds fashion design strength. No SMEs are listed, which means partnerships would likely need to go through established institutions rather than agile startups.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS LONDONparticipant · UK
ISRAEL OCEANOGRAPHIC AND LIMNOLOGICAL RESEARCH LIMITEDparticipant · IL
FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIAparticipant · IT
POLITECNICO DI MILANOparticipant · IT
LISTAHASKOLI ISLANDSparticipant · IS

How to reach the team

Shenkar Engineering, Design, Art (Israel) — search for FISHSkin project coordinator at Shenkar College for contact details

Order a report on this consortium

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the FISHSkin team to discuss licensing their fish leather techniques for your production line? SciTransfer can arrange a direct connection.

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