About Ocean Leather

Thank you for visiting the Ocean Leather official online store.

Our website offers leather goods made from fish leather, transforming discarded fish skins into leather in pursuit of a sustainable society.

Brand Concept

The connection to the majestic ocean

Under the brand concept "The connection to the majestic ocean," we sell various fish leather products such as wallets, key cases, and accessories. Our philosophy aims not just to consume fish but to respect their way of life. We focus on waste reduction, improving fishermen's incomes, and employing environmentally friendly vegetable-tanning methods, upcycling discarded fish skins and scales into our products. Through our items, we hope to foster a deeper, more cherished connection between the sea, fish, and ourselves.

Brand Story

The founder, Takahashi, worked in the fisheries industry at 16, handling fish while noticing that a significant portion was discarded during fish processing. Recognizing that about 60-70% of a fish was thrown away to produce just sashimi, he began questioning this practice. Pondering on how to effectively utilize this waste became a daily thought.

One day, as a university student, Takahashi became intrigued by the fish taxidermy displayed at a local fishing tackle shop. Previously overlooked, the beautifully crafted specimen intrigued him. Upon discovering that taxidermy used similar techniques to leatherworking, he had an epiphany to create wallets from fish leather. With no information or specialized stores about fish leather at the time, he self-taught conventional leather tanning methods and experimented to adapt these to fish skins.

After about a year of research and trial and error, Takahashi successfully developed "fish leather." Despite numerous setbacks, with considerable support, the brand was launched in 2021.

◉Takahashi Hiromi - Ocean Leather Founder:

An avid angler who fishes seven days a week. After dropping out of high school, worked part-time in fisheries while taking high school equivalency exams and subsequently enrolled in Kansai Gaidai University. Studied abroad at Merced College in California during his academic years. Upon returning to Japan, faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic during job hunting but went on to develop fish leather independently and launched the business. Currently involved in manufacturing and selling fish leather goods in Kochi Prefecture, participating in various domestic and international exhibitions and projects.

Ocean Leather's Initiatives:

• Waste reduction and improvement of fisheries workers' income:

A significant part of fish, about 60% by weight, is discarded during the preparation of sashimi. Fish skins represent approximately 2% of the fish's weight, resulting in the disposal of 2 kg of leather when filleting a 100 kg fish. By transforming discarded fish skins into fish leather, we reduce waste and contribute to enhancing the income of individuals engaged in fishing by purchasing these skins.

• Avoidance of environmentally harmful chemicals like chromium:

Chromium-tanned leather constitutes 80% of leather production, with its wastewater containing heavy metals like chromium causing detrimental effects on health and the environment. Ocean Leather adopts vegetable tanning, a method with lower environmental impact compared to processes utilizing heavy metals like chromium.

• Usage of artificially grown vegetable tannins:

The plant tannins used in Ocean Leather products come from artificially cultivated forests, not from deforested native forests. All materials are sourced from forests managed through planting and cultivation by people, avoiding potential forest destruction.