In May 2024, the MOR team attended an intensive five-day course led by master tanner Lotta Rahme in historic Sigtuna. Joined by a diverse group of 8 international guests, we delved into traditional and experimental techniques for transforming raw fish skin into supple, durable leather alternatives.
Course Highlights:
• Workshop Setting: Held in a pittoreque house in traditional Sigtuna on the shores of Lake Mälaren.
• International Cohort: Peers from Sweden, The UK, Poland, Canada, and Germany exchanged perspectives on sustainable fashion and biomaterials.
• Hands-On Process: Participants rotated through stations for pre-tanning preparation, natural tannin extraction, controlled vat immersion, and finishing treatments.
• Peer Critiques: Daily review sessions where we presented samples, compared grain textures, and refined our techniques under Lotta’s guidance.
Key Learnings:
• Skin Preparation: Best practices for cleaning, de-scaling, and splitting fish skins to ensure uniform tannin uptake.
• Tannin Selection: Comparative trials using different kinds of bark, oil and egg solutions, evaluating color depth and flexibility.
• Vat Management: Real-time pH monitoring with simple litmus protocols, temperature control strategies, and soak-time optimization.
• Finishing Methods: Techniques for oil-fat infusion, light embossing, and gentle sun-drying to enhance water resistance without compromising softness.
Applying Insights to MOR:
• Prototype Development: We’ve drafted three new fish-skin swatches using different kinds of tannin blends and low-heat drying cycles.
• Process Documentation: Detailed step-by-step guides created for each tanning stage, complete with photos and critical control points.
• Cross-Cultural Exchange: Established a digital forum where our international classmates share alternative plant tannins and eco-finishing recipes.
• Quality Benchmarks: Defined target metrics for tensile strength (≥15 MPa), elongation (≥35 percent), and uniform color saturation.
Next Steps for MOR:
1. Pilot Production Runs: Implement Lotta’s protocols in 10 kg fish-skin batches during the summer of 2024
2. Local Sourcing Partnerships: Secure agreements with Baltic fishermen for consistent raw-skin supply.
3. Skill-Share Workshops: Host a follow-up session in Stockholm to train our in-house tanning team.
4. Material Innovation Lab: Experiment with different compositions of tanning solution.
Beyond this course, we’re eager to explore partnerships with the seafood industry and science. Our time with Lotta not only elevated our tanning toolkit but also wove new threads of international collaboration into MOR’s sustainable design journey.
