Yuliia Buhlak established Fiskin in Ukraine shortly before the war interrupted her plans. She had to flee with her 3-year-old daughter Sonia to Norway, where she decided to restart her business from scratch. Fiskin helped her return to a purposeful life after she had to leave behind everything she loved and built so far in Ukraine.

Brick by brick, after multiple sleepless nights, she managed to relaunch her startup. Now, she continues her sustainable mission to convert fish skins into truly fascinating and stylish accessories, pursuing the dream of creating one of the most sustainable businesses with global ambitions.

How it Started

Yuliia is a specialist in fish biology, water bioresources, and sustainable aquaculture. The idea to make accessories from fish leather came to Yuliia when she was at a training for researchers in Iceland. Having studied and worked around science for 10 years, she never thought she would work in leather and fashion. However, in fish leather, she found a material that was not only sustainable but also visually appealing with a fascinating texture.

Fish leather, contrary to common expectations, has a fantastic smell and remarkable strength. It is ten times more sustainable than conventional leather. It`s silk-like texture and unique scales pattern give it a luxury, delicate and outstanding appearance.

After thousands of hours of practicing and mastering fish leather products, Fiskin has found a place in the hearts of clients and continues to grow in popularity. At the moment, Yuliia is preparing to scale her business and is searching for investors and partnerships.

Following the tremendous success of the first year, Fiskin’s story was featured on the Norwegian Government Portal and in multiple magazines in Ukraine, Norway, and Scotland. Now, Fiskin aims to conquer the sustainable fashion world.