Turkish engineer makes leather purses out of puffer fish skin

Turkish engineer makes leather purses out of puffer fish skin

Source: thestar

9/12/2022

Turkish engineer makes leather purses out of puffer fish skin

Credit: Anne Pollmann/dpa

Mehmet Ozata lays out his colourful collection of leather products, from purses to key rings, all made from the skin of puffer fish, an invasive species that has been terrorising the Turkish coast for decades.

An engineer in Alanya, near Antalya, Ozata has been working with local universities to create a sustainable leather made from the skins of puffer fish.

While his project is still at an early stage and output depends on the size of local catches, his products are attracting interest from Russia to the Middle East, Ozata says. Plus, they are raising awareness of the problem.