Finding a use for Hermes croc skin rejects
23/07/2013
French leathergoods brand Hermes owns an alligator tannery in nearby Lafayette, The Reptile Tannery of Louisiana. Grade one and two skins are in high demand, but those with scratches or marks are difficult to sell.
"If the alligator market drops to a point like it did in 2009, to where there's not enough incentive to harvest the alligators, then along with that goes the loss of incentive to manage that marshland for alligators," Buddy Baker, the director of coastal operations at Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, told local publication WWLTV. "The demand for meat exceeds the supply of meat. In some years, we can't supply enough one and two grade skins to meet the fashion industry, but grade threes we need to move better."
Through grants and research, LSU students are now creating designs with grade three skins and are reportedly being hired by big name design houses.
"We want to open up the consumer market in China. That's the long-term goal. But the short-term goal, we want to increase awareness," said university lecturer Chuanlan Liu.
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