Joined-up thinking expands applications for frog skins
Due to their small size, frog skins have traditionally been limited to decorative applications on footwear, leather goods and garments.
But now that could be about to change with the development of a new system by a Brazilian frog skin tannery. Developed by Rio de Janeiro-based Curtume Kaeru, (meaning ‘frog’ and ‘luck’ in Japanese), the system effectively ‘fuses’ the skins together to form a larger substrate measuring 1m x 0.60 m., opening the door to the creation of complete garments made from the material.
According to system’s designer, Eduardo Filgueiras, the company started researching the wider commercial possibilities for frog skins in 1997, but it was not until 2000 that it was able to have a prototype production system up and running. In 2001, the company registered the patent for ‘large frog skin’ that Filgueiras says is finding increasing favour in footwear and apparel making applications. He is especially proud of the fact that all machinery used in the process was developed in-house. And while he freely admits production volumes are still relatively limited, he said he fully expects them to expand. "We are in constantly contact with frog skin suppliers from all over Brazil to ensure that the skins we may need are always available," he says.
Grabriella Machado, general manager of the plant, reports the entire tanning process is carried out in line with strict environmental standards, with all water used being recycled after each stage in the tanning process. She emphasises that the tannery only uses skins derived from frog meat production operations, which means they would simply be thrown away otherwise. The company has a frog-breeding farm of its own, producing between 600 and 700 kilos of frog meat per month.
