Reindeer leather salvaged from the Russian ship Metta Catharina which sank in 1786, has been made into a folio bag and presented as a long service award, to Mary Simons of SATRA’s management services team. Mary initially worked in the production services department of the UK product testing and materials research organisation before moving into fashion technology in 1976. She joined management services in 1987 to help develop and install business efficiency software systems. She also currently deals with resourcing, quality assurance, team working and, advising on manufacturing machinery. Mary said: "It says a great deal for the tanning processes of the Eighteenth Century. The leather had, of course, been thoroughly soaked and affected by salt, yet it was able to be cleaned and used for high quality items." She also commissioned a bowl made from the same skin of leather.
