Fish Scale
Leather is the most commonly used material in the manufacture of shoes. It is natural, breathable, comfortable and looks good, but is also costly to produce in terms of its environmental impacts and damage to the health of the workers producing it. The environmental impact of leather is associated with the rearing of the livestock, the use of polluting chemicals including chromium a toxic heavy metal in the tanning process and air pollution including hydrogen sulphide during dehairing, ammonia during deliming and solvent vapours. The chemicals used in tanning leather make tanneries very unpleasant and hazardous places to work. Those living nearby are also affected by the hazardous chemicals. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the US found that there was a five times higher incidence of leukaemia among residents in an area near a tannery in Kentucky. Lung cancer in tannery workers is also associated with their exposure to arsenic a chemical used in the tanning process.
Vegetable tanned leather is a much more environmentally friendly option than conventional leather but it is also more expensive and does still have a significant environmental impact caused by the rearing of livestock. Vegans, vegetarians and those concerned with animal rights usually do not wear leather shoes because they believe that it is cruel to wear animal skins. Over the years there have been a variety of alternatives to leather shoes produced for the vegetarian and vegan market including vegan microfiber which is similar to suede in appearance and pleather, Naugahyde, Durabuck, NuSuede, Hydrolite, all of which are synthetic. The problem with these synthetic alternatives is that their manufacture is energy intensive and they do not easily biodegrade so are problematic to dispose of once their useful life is over.
So what are the alternatives?
Fish leather is made using the skin of fish which is a by product of the commercial fish industry which is in abundant supply making it a really sustainable material. It is tanned by soaking the hide to remove the flesh before strengthening and odour removal. It is then usually dyed with vegetable dyes. Fish skins are relatively small (compared to cow hides) so are particularly useful for smaller items like hand made shoes, gloves and purses. They are even stronger and more durable than conventional leather made from cow hide. Because the tanning process for fish skin does not need to remove hair (only scales), it is much simpler and therefore does not need the polluting chemicals used in traditional tanning.
In the past cork has commonly been used in the heels of shoes but now a very thin piece of cork also known as cork leather or cork fabric is also used as a natural and eco friendly alternative to leather. It is hard wearing and durable and has even been used to make an alternative to a leather jacket. Cork is the bark of the Cork Oak tree (Quercus Suber) a native species of Portugal. Its removal does not harm the tree and the tree will grow a new layer to replace the harvested cork making it a renewable and sustainable resource.
Ocean leather is a little known natural alternative to leather that is made from kelp. This product is however at the early stages of development and very rarely used. Other natural and eco friendly shoes are made using organic fabrics such as hemp and cotton. They are grown without the use of pesticides and are dyed with eco friendly dyes that do not contain heavy metals, they do not however have the hard wearing properties and strength of leather.
Whilst there are currently a variety of usable alternatives, the hunt is still on for the perfect natural and eco friendly alternative to leather. The perfect alternative to leather would need to be strong, breathable, durable, look great and be able to be produced cost effectively on a large scale.
This article was written by Ceri Heathcote.
Po-Zu aims to set new standards in ethical and ecological footwear manufacture with its range of vegan shoes and natural footwear that are healthy for your feet, safe for all the workers throughout the supply chain, and kind to the environment.
How to scale, gut and fillet a fish
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7.5″ Long Multifunctional Fish Scale Remover Vegetables Apple Peeler $4.53 |
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Green Plastic Fish Shaped 10kg x 100g Weighting Hanging Scale $7.65 |
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Black Red Fish Scale Pull Up Pouch Case for Nokia 5800 $4.27 |
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Digital Portable Scale 40Kg Fish Hook Outdoor Travel $17.90 |
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Antique MINTONS Oyster Plate ~ Gold Fish Scale Pattern ~ VERY RARE ~ $300.00 |
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Fish Descaler Descaling Tool Scale Remover LIGHT DUTY J $4.99 |
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Clip On Red Fish Scale Shape Earrings $9.50 |
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Clip On Red Fish Scale Shape Earrings $9.50 |
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Clip On Red Fish Scale Shape Earrings $9.50 |
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“FOXEE FISH” SUPER WOBBLER (gold/pink scale) FREE SHIP $5.29 |
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MTH O SCALE PITTSBURGH COAL COMPANY 80520 2 BAY FISH BELLY HOPPER COAL LOAD $59.97 |
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Fishscale [PA] by Ghostface Killah (CD, Mar-2006, Def Jam (USA)) $9.99 |
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OLD NASH LaFAYETTE SERVICE “fish-scale” Porcelain SIGN $5,850.00 |
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HAECKEL PRINT MARINE SEA ANIMAL FISH SCALE SEAHORSE FROGFISH ANGLERFISH SEAMOTH $48.50 |
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American Weigh Scale American Weigh H-110 Digital Hanging Scale, 110 X 0.05-Pounds $14.99 A built-in, three-foot tape measure makes the scale especially handy on fishing trips. H-series portable hanging scales from American Weigh Scales are vertical weighing solutions that you can easily take with you anywhere. The H-110 offers rugged die-cast metal construction and a built-in tape measure, making it ideal for fishing trips. Features Portable and easy to take with you anywhere B… |
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American Weigh SR-20 Yellow Digital Hanging Scale, 44lb by 0.02lb $12.99 The NEW SR-Series Digital Hanging Scale from American Weigh is the perfect companion for fishing trips. With a retractable handle and a hook which stores behind the scale, the SR-Series is also super portable. Use it to check your luggage weight before incurring heavy fines at the airlines Capacity 5kg / 11lb Scale Dimensions 4.0 x 2.3 x 0.7 Calibration Mass 1000g (1kg) Power 2 x AAA batteries (… |
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Fish Scaler Scale Remover #2262 $0.01 This Scaler is used to peel the hard fish skin. * Material: Stainless Steel, Wood * Dimension: 6-1/2 in L *… |
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Fishscale $6.73 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
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More Fish $1.95 All products are BRAND NEW and factory sealed. Fast shipping and 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed…. |
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Fishscale [Vinyl] $10.67 TracklistA1 The Return Of Clyde Smith (Skit) Voice – Halloween A2 Shakey Dog Producer – Lewis Parker A3 Kilo Producer – MoSS Producer [Additional] – Anthony Acid A4 The Champ Producer – Just Blaze A5 Major Operations (Skit) A6 9 Milli Brothers Rap [Guest] – Wu-Tang Clan B1 Beauty Jackson Producer – J Dilla B2 Heart Street Directions … |
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Walleye Live Bait Tactics $29.95 Walleye Live Bait Tactics discusses river locations and the proper vertical jigging techniques. During this segment you’ll also find out how to “Jig Down and Troll Up” to increase your fishing time. The video covers how to use live bait snells and spinners using a bottom bouncer. This technique works in lakes and reservoirs throughout the year. There is new information on how to use GPS to increas… |
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Orange Guard 103 Water Based Indoor/Outdoor Home Pest Control – 32 oz Spray $6.45 Finally! A safe, effective pest control for indoor/ outdoor use on ants, roaches, fleas and other insects, that actually outperformed the toxic chemical Dursban in field studies. All ingredients are food grade, water-based with active ingredient d-Limonene from orange peels. Pleasant fragrance is from fresh oranges. Contains: Active Ingredient: d-Limonene-orange peel extract-5.8%. Inert ingredi… |
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Delk 41293 Ultimate Fishing Tool, Green and Orange $19.98 Save space in your tackle box with the most compact fishing tool ever! It’s a bright LED flashlight with fold-out hands-free stand…a hook remover, fish scraper, scissors, serrated knife, bottle opener…and locking retractable metal tape measure plus weight scale with hanging hook (metric/standard). All this and it can tuck into your pocket!… |
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Extech PH100 ExStik Waterproof pH Meter $81.09 The waterproof ExStik PH100 pH meter by Extech is an accurate, rugged and reusable stick pH meter with some unique data storage features that make it exceptionally easy to use and considerably enahnce its usability. The flat surface electrode allows you to measure pH in liquids, semi-solids, and solids and limits electrode breakage and clogged junctions. The RENEW indicator tells you when it’s tim… |