In the shoes of Marielle from the FEMER tannery

Today, we are going to meet Marielle PHILIP, creator of Femer Navy skin, a hides specialized in fish leather, at La Teste de Buch on the Bassin in Arcachon. She opens the doors of her workshop during very specific days, the opportunity for you to discover her anti-waste world inspired by Scandinavian techniques!

A B'A know-how

Born on the Arcachon Bay, Marielle followed a course linked to the environment and coastal management. The creation of the Tannery Femer was therefore obvious to her when it came to embarking on this daring project.
Very sensitive to the environment and the fight against waste, Marielle has become thanks to her activity a real local figure! Trout, salmon, bass, sole, mullet, … We learn that in a eco-responsible approach, it recovers and recycles the skins of fish eaten without the skin and thrown away by fishing neighbors to give them a second youth... In a bag or in leather shoes!

Visit of its production workshop

It's in a typical wooden hut on the Teste de Buch oyster port, close to the fishermen, that Marielle chose to install Close. When we arrive, she shows us around and shows us its fish leather manufacturing process.

In his workshop, bare fish skins are stored and worked by hand to be well relaxed. After this first step, the skins will be able to go into the tank located right next to it, for 100% vegetable tanning. Once the skins have been colored and dried, Marielle explains to us that they will pass one by one over the trellis in order to make the leather more supple. And to give them all their shine, the skins are then finalized with a layer of varnish or glitter, matte or shiny to transform in footwear and leather goods.

To better understand his universe and his bias, do not hesitate to visit him in his workshop at the end of September or by appointment if you wish to work with fish leather for your future collections.

For sure, the Bassin, she loves it and she shares it in her creations.
His dearest wish for the years to come? That the Arcachon Bay become an example in terms of the development of the blue economy and a leader for France and elsewhere. So, shall we continue the process?

To discover her universe, find Marielle, B'A partner, on social networks and its website:
> On Facebook
> On instagram
> On sound website