Fishy accessories are tipping the scales

Text and photos by Gin Kurniawan

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Waste can be made into things of value. This is what the Dian Desa, a self-supporting institute in Yogyakarta is doing. They turn fish skin, previously thought of as waste, into handicrafts such as bags, wallets, belts and shoes.

Not long ago the fishermen living along the northern coast of Java only processed the flesh of ikan pari (ray fish) species Trygon kuhlii and Trygon sephen. The spotted rough skin of these fish used to end up in waste pools. Since the Dian Desa members found a way to treat this fish skin, fishermen have been provided with an additional income that exceeds the wholesale price of the flesh of ikan pari. After their find, the institute established PT Dian Mandala company to collect ikan pari skins from fishermen.

Ariyanto Sujarwo, managing director of the company, said the firm produces about 1,000 to 1,500 wallets, bags, belts, shoes and other accessories a month. Production results are still small due to minimal supplies of basic material.

This fish variety is not always in season, but are usually abundant in February and October.

The institute says it has enough human resources to produce fish skin handicrafts in larger numbers, but the market is quite restricted.

"The market for our products is still limited," said Ariyanto, a 1983 graduate of the Geography Faculty of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

He said ikan pari skin handicrafts are not bright. When compared with the hide of goat, cattle or sheep, this fish skin has unique properties. The fibrous part of its skin, which runs in a cross-wise course, makes it a strong material and is one of the reasons for its high market value. A man's wallet is priced at Rp 90,000. Bags or shoes start at Rp 250,000.

This type of handicraft was first an export item with markets in Italy, Japan, America, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Recently it has made inroads in the domestic market with demands of 60 percent to 70 percent of total production.

Ikan pari skin resembles reptile skin which proves to be an excellent handicraft material, such as the skin of huge lizards, crocodiles and snakes. However, less people use handicrafts made of reptile skin following protests from environmentalists. On the other hand, the use of ikan pari skin is relatively new, and their numbers still abound. Ikan pari's habitat is along the eastern coast of Sumatra, in the Java Sea, all along the Kalimantan coast, South Sulawesi, in the Tiworo Strait and in the Arafuru sea of eastern Indonesia.

There are a variety of ikan pari. But only two kinds have been utilized, the Trygon kuhlii and Trygon sephen. One of the special characteristics of these varieties are the tiny wart-like markings on the skin. There is an element like crystal at the back which features an attraction all of its own. These two fish varieties are widely found in tropical waters.

The exotic skin of ikan pari is not easy to treat. Processing the skin appears to entail special treatment compared to other animal skins. This is due to the fish skin's special structure which is quite different from hide. It is of a dense skin fiber, which calls for special curing. Because of its high ammonia content, decomposition sets in quickly. The skin is therefore covered in heaps of salt to preserve it. Oddly enough, the vulnerability of the skin before treatment undergoes transformation after that. It turns into a very strong material, making it practically resistant to sharp objects.

"Aside from its beauty, the strength of the skin has drawn admiration," said Ariyanto, a father of one.

History

Success in ikan pari skin treatment started from Dian Desa's activities when they trained pond farmers and fishermen of the northern Central Java coastline in 1985. The plight of destitute fishermen living in poverty drew their attention.

The fishermen's major concern was how to extensively utilize their catches from the sea. Not every part of a fish could be used and some things were thrown away. Among the waste was the skin of ikan pari, also called ikan pe by the locals. The fishermen only took the flesh. After the fish was skinned, the meat was minced and quickly cooked to prevent rotting. The meat was usually grilled for consumption or salted for later use.

One of the problems was how to treat the skin of ikan pari. Aryanto went to Thailand to learn the technology of ikan pari skin treatment. But he made the trip in vain, because he did not obtain the necessary information, despite Indonesian fishermen being the suppliers of material for Thailand's fish skin industry. In the end, Aryanto succeeded in getting the technology in 1989 with the cooperation of Balai Penelitian Kulit (Skin and Hide Research Institute) in Yogyakarta.

The tanning of fish skin started in 1990. At first, only tanned skins were marketed but they did not sell well. It was a new product, after all, even though fish skins had been used for ages in handicrafts. In Japan, for instance, combat uniforms were made from it due to the material's resistance to sharp objects. In France, the material was used in accessories in the 18th century.

The first time locals were introduced to ikan pari skin products they were amazed. They could hardly believe that fish skin could be tanned for handicraft use. Fishermen were also surprised. When they were requested to collect the skins of ikan pari, they simply gave the institute the skin as they thought of it as waste. However, Dian Desa, which gave priority to the fishermen's welfare, refused to accept the skins for free. The institute paid a good price for each skin. A piece of skin measuring between 15 centimeters and 19 cm in length fetches a price of US$8 or $10, while lengths of 35 cm or 40 cm sell for US$35.

The fishermen no longer throw away the skins of ikan pari. The income from fish skin has made a big difference to their lives.