THE MARINE LEATHER OF TOMORROW
Nowadays, fashion is playing an increasingly important role in our lives, becoming an integral part of them. We use clothes not only to dress ourselves but also to convey a message, express an idea, or show our belonging to a group or social milieu.
But it must also be acknowledged that The clothing sector is among the most polluting in the world, second only to the oil sector.However, a huge number of innovations are emerging to promote greener and more sustainable fashion in order to compete with what professionals call the fast fashion and guide creators towards the slow fashion upcycling and recycling as well as the use of raw materials from eco-responsible agriculture.
Between 2000 and 2014, production doubled, reaching 100 billion garments sold worldwide, including 2,5 billion in France. On the other hand, the industry manufactures 80 billion garments of which 700,000 tonnes are produced in France per year.
We are facing a clothing wasteThe cutting stage alone generates 20 to 30% unused scraps. But pieces that are not purchased or worn are unnecessarily wasted resources because they are simply thrown away.
For some years now, consumers have been paying more and more attention to what they eat, what they apply to their skin, and so it is only natural that they are questioning what they wear.
With the emergence of social networks, it is easier to denounce so-called unacceptable practices such as animal farming, trafficking and deforestation.
In this regard forto awaken the consciencesLeather is often criticized for its role in deforestation and pollution because it's a by-product of the food industry, which continues to produce ever-increasing quantities of meat. But alternatives are emerging, offering a surprising and colorful selection!
In 2019, a new company was founded in Lyon and quickly established itself among the major players by offering traditional French tanning expertise combined with an eco-responsible approach developed around three pillars to preserve biodiversity: the recycling of marine skins, the non-use of livestock farming for skin, and the refusal to exploit endangered species.
The startup Ictyos, from ancient Greek ichthus which means "fish", is composed of three young chemical engineers: Benjamin, Gauthier and Emmanuel, eager to find alternatives to leather for the luxury of tomorrow.
Over the years, and after three years of intense research and development, they have developed a virtuous circle in collaboration with the agri-food sector for a logistics system that is careful to offer rare and precious leathers with captivating colors originally from the preparation of sushi.
Using a rigorous process, the team begins by selecting the hides, followed by their preparation. Next comes the natural tanning stage, then retanning to nourish and dye the leather, before staking, which consists of softening the hide before moving on to the finishing stage, giving the leather its final appearance (shiny, satin, dry, oily, and other options).
Today, Ictyos is recognized in the leather goods and watchmaking sectors thanks to its leathers, some of the finest and most resistant in the world, which become more refined over time.
“We have developed our own vegetable tanning process. A unique recipe that allows us to obtain a hypoallergenic leather with a woody scent that improves with age.” “,” explains Emmanuel Fourault, co-founder of Ictyos.
