13. Implications and applications¶

My Final Project Proposal¶

A showcase of fish skin leather as a material that can be used within fashion and interiors - honouring the Indigenous practices from which it originates.¶

Feedback¶

Oscar : Embrace a more-than-human perspective by understanding the socio-economic and ecological relations existing at the moment and how your design will critique, support, or create new ones.

Anastasia : This Japanese restaurant has some big fish skin lamps https://ikoyaizakaya.com/

Since you are proposing accessories of lamps it would be nice to match as well the rest of the materials (maybe you could use some bones for handles, buttons e.t.c.)

As you can see in this producer https://theaquaborne.com/ they use a spinning drum, like a washing machine that turns to make the skin soft, maybe you need to find or make a drum like this. I see your project, not only as an outcome of objects, but the idea of a microfactory, creating basic machines and equipment for being able to produce similar results and bring it one level up from home scale craftsmanship.

Claudia : Great presentation! Looks like you have a clear idea and a great direction to follow. Could you get the fish leather from a factory in The Netherlands?

Louise : What an interesting material! You can check Emmy’s documentation for Fabricademy ( https://class.textile-academy.org/2023/emma-shannon/The%20Hearty%20Party/Process/ ) on how to do leather molding with fish skin from Iceland.

It would be interesting to find a waste stream in Amsterdam to provide you with the fish skin.

Carolina : Flora, I will not give you references because I imagine Cecilia can give good ones. I was with her in an Icelandic Factory, and my suggestion is that you try to prep manage chemicals and dyes. You can check https://www.nienkehoogvliet.nl/portfolio/re-seame/ Good work!

Diane : You might know them: Ictyos is a french company that processes fish skins into different objects; they get the skins from restaurants though so they don't necessarily have a focus about the locality, which I think is a super interesting part of your project!

Annie : Nice! Fish skin is a big waste from local fishmongers that you can serve yourself. Fish are precious and underestimated. You probably have plenty of ressources already but i put this one too here: https://hakaimagazine.com/features/the-art-of-turning-fish-into-leather/

Rico : Definitely look at how Japan's indigenous culture...the Ainu...uses fishskin. Having worked with fishskin myself during my Fabricademy course...I had some misgivings that I hope you can address:

Don't have fish skin be an alternative to anything else...but be its own unique thing
Recognize and celebrate the material's unique features....don't force it to do something that is not natural to it.

Porpla : The fish skin is very beautiful especially when it's translucent under the light. When you mentioned tracking the stories of the fish, maybe you can work on layering these fish skin for the lamp and let the translucency reveal the layers . I love the zero waste aspect as well, I am working part-time in sushi restaurant and see so much waste everyday. This is an interesting project on zero waste fashion https://www.shellyxu.design/

Capucine : Roisin Gartland, a designer working with fish skin : https://www.instagram.com/p/DFIUqH4Mqz-/

Links from Feedback¶

My Reflection¶

I feel excited about my project and path it may take. There is a lot to think about and feel I need to refine the path I want to go down. I am frustrated in my project pitch that I forgot to mention the source of my skins... being the waste streams of the fishmongers. A vital part to the reason I am doing this project. To make waste into worth. I look forward to considering Oscars input and am very greatful for the advice and resources I've been given.

PDF of Project Proposal