Summary

Ictyos leverages fish skin waste from the food industry and has developed a high-tech process for turning scaly waste into luxury marine leather to be used for luxury items like handbags, shoes and more. The founders realized that the large majority of fish skin end up in landfill. Today, that represents about 50 000 tons of waste in France and 500000 tons in Europe every year. The company is clear that it only uses discarded fish skins from restaurants and the food industry and that no fish are bred only for their skin. This process is an age-old craft in France that has been revitalized by this company. (Source) The company has pioneered a leather transformation process based on vegetable tannins rather than on mineral tannins, in an effort to be more sustainable. Depending on the fish on which the leather is based, marine leather can look like lizard, crocodile, or something else. The company wants to capitalize on waste, and has placed recycling bins in many Sushi Shops in Lyon, France where they collect the fish skins leftover from the making of sushi. The company is collaborating with different partners like watchmakers to make wristbands, luxury brands for leatherwork, saddlery, interiors of airplanes, furniture, paintings, shoes, glasses, and others. (Source) The company is now working with over 250 brands.

Story

Ictyos is founded by three co-founders Emmanuel Fourault, Gaulthier Lébure, and Benjamin Malatrait who were friends from engineering school. They gave themselves the challenge to launch a company with a strong positive environmental impact, and landed on this idea after noticing waste in the form of fish skin that is routinely discarded and has limited applications even in the food industry. The trio raised €100k in royalty crowdfunding at the end of 2018 and were then given a six-month run inside a startup incubator run by fashion giant LVMH – owner of brands like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. (Source)

Pic Credit: Ictyos