In March 2025, the MOR team traveled to the island of Ornö, in the Stockhom archipelago, to spend one intensive day with master tanner Karl Karlsson. Our mission was to unlock the secrets of scaling up fully natural tanning methods for fish skin, marrying centuries-old Swedish traditions with our modern accessory line.
Highlights of the Ornö Visit:
• Farmhouse Workshop Tour: We walked through Karlsson’smodern tannery, observing the building and machines he has constructed by himself.
• Hands-On Bark Preparation: Karl collects his own bark, dries it, and ground it into finer grains to alsssextract tannins.
• Temperature & pH Control: We learned how to monitor and adjust vat temperatures and acidity levels to ensure uniform tanning without chemical accelerants.
Translating Knowledge into MOR Production
• Prototype Runs: We’ve scheduled pilot batches in our Swedish facility, applying Karlsson’s tannin ratios and agitation cycles to fish-skin swatches.
• Quality Metrics: New benchmarks for softness, tensile strength, and color uniformity derived from our Ornö trials.
• Documentation: Comprehensive SOPs (standard operating procedures) drafted with Karlsson to train our future production team on natural tanning workflows.
Next Steps for MOR:
1. Scale to 500 kg Batches: Equip our production line with modular vats and mixing systems based on Karlsson’s designs.
2. Local Sourcing Network: Partner with forestry and aquaculture suppliers around the Baltic Sea to secure sustainable bark supplies.
3. Artisan Collaboration: Invite Karlsson to host quarterly workshops in Stockholm, blending traditional knowledge with MOR’s design team.
Our Ornö collaboration has set the stage for a truly sustainable, natural-tanning era in fish-skin accessories.
