Fish leather: a noble material

Fish skin for leather goods? JULES & JENN takes you to the French coast to discover the expertise of Made in France.

JULES & JENN has embraced a vision of more responsible fashion, favoring local and artisanal production, as well as the circular economy. At the intersection of these two concerns, JULES & JENN has chosen to introduce you to a rather unusual material used for its small leather goods: fish leather.

You enjoy fish for its flavor and recognized nutritional benefits, but did you know that its skin, rather than being discarded, can be used for another purpose? Fish skin can be used for leather goods. And yet, the challenge may not seem obvious.

In France, on the shores of the Atlantic, artisans have taken up the challenge. The fish then leaves its breeding site for our Breton tanner, a specialist in fish tanning.

The skin received by the tanner is first cleaned, then marinated in tanning baths to be transformed into leather. It is then available for use by a leather goods designer, like JULES & JENN. Freed from its scales, fish leather presents itself as a pleasant and sturdy material. Its luxurious natural pattern comes in a wide range of colors for small leather goods.

A short history of leather goods

Little known, the transformation of fish skin is nothing new: it dates back to the 16th century. At that time, the leatherworker of King Louis XV, Jean-Claude Galluchat, was the first to work with ray skin. But it was only over the years that tanning specialists perfected an exceptional manufacturing process that combines beauty, finesse, and strength.

Aside from the aesthetic aspect, the other advantage is that it's 100% eco-friendly, as the fish skin is destined to be discarded, being a by-product of the flesh used for food. Nothing is wasted, everything is transformed. A truly responsible fashion approach.

Discover JULES & JENN small leather goods made from fish leather, made in France, like our luxurious women's wallets.