Beyond the dinner plate: the surprising industrial and luxury utility of fish products

Food & Drink · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Fish are more than just a primary protein source for over one billion people. From the hilt of a traditional Japanese sword to the luxury leather of modern high-fashion handbags, aquatic organisms provide a vast array of materials, pigments, and industrial components that have shaped human history and commerce.

While 45 percent of fish consumed by humans in 2016 was eaten fresh or chilled, the industry transforms the remainder into a staggering variety of goods. Processing methods have evolved significantly, with freezing now accounting for 56 percent of all processed fish for human consumption. Beyond the plate, fish anatomy offers unique chemical and physical properties. For instance, the dermal denticles of shark and rayskin once served as sandpaper, while the same material, known as same'gawa, remains essential for traditional Japanese sword hilts. Today, luxury brands like Prada and Dior utilize tanned fish leathers—such as salmon, perch, and cod—which are notably stronger than traditional hides.

The utility of fish extends into chemistry and art. Historically, the Murex sea snail provided the pigment for Tyrian purple, and cuttlefish ink has long been used for sepia. In the realm of adhesives and clarifiers, fish glue—derived from skin, bones, and swim bladders—has secured everything from illuminated manuscripts to Mongolian war bows. Similarly, isinglass, extracted from sturgeon swim bladders, remains a standard agent for clarifying beer and wine. Even the shimmer on fish scales, once a staple for pearlescent nail polish, highlights the industry's historical search for natural aesthetic additives, though modern synthetics like bismuth oxychloride have largely replaced it due to cost.

The industrial cycle of fish production is remarkably efficient, ensuring that little goes to waste. Fish meal, a high-protein supplement for aquaculture, is rendered from whole fish or processing offal. The fluid remains from this process become fish emulsion fertilizer, while ground-up carcasses, known as fish hydrolysate, repurpose guts, bones, and cartilage. This circularity underscores a global reliance on aquatic resources that transcends basic nutrition, touching upon medicine, fashion, and manufacturing. Whether through the fermentation of fish sauce or the creation of surimi to mimic shellfish, human ingenuity continues to extract immense value from the world's oceans.

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