Eel Leather

Shop Our Eel Leather Panel Inventory

Eel skins are a bi-product of the fishing industry (sushi) and they have a fabric-like quality and are sold in sheets commonly referred to as panels. More than 70 small skins perfectly sewn together will create a true first grade eel panel. Eel has recently become very popular in European high fashion, which has lead to a steady increase in demand overseas and, to a lesser extent, domestically.

Eel Skin Uses

As the material is soft and stretchable, this flexibility makes it ideal for applications such as furniture upholstery, car upholstery, clothing & footwear. Eel skin panels are commercially produced in panels which are 2 feet by 5 feet or 10 square foot. They come in both matte and glossy finishes in many colors. Eel skin has a natural and luxurious appearance and feel. Current innovation has produced full aniline dyed, metallic finishes, pure white, as well as multi-colored panels.

Upholstery Applications

Eel leather is 150 times stronger than typical cowhide leathers of the same thickness. Still, some designers and manufactures are worried that the thin nature of the skins and panels will produce weak or easily tearable products.

A common practice is to adhere or back their eel panels to cloth and or cow or pig skin. Some designers and manufactures complain of spots or bumbles when using adhesive. The best solution is to sparsely spray aerosol adhesive versus clumping large amounts of regular adhesive when backing or adhering to their indented surfaces.