Exotic Reindeer Skins Turn into Light and Fabulous Outfit

Kokkolan Nahka cooperates with Siidaa Aberra who studies fashion and clothing design at the University of Art and Design Helsinki and says that treated reindeer skin is a fabulous material for the clothing industry. It is thin and light, making it flow nicely like a fabric. Simultaneously, though, the skin is durable and warm and relatively easy to sew. Furthermore, a reindeer skin garment will last long and the luxurious feel of leather crowns its good sewing properties.

Siidaa Aberra wants to utilize reindeer skin more boldly: ”Reindeer skin can be used in nearly all types of clothing, not just traditional leather products. This material should be tested and worked further to see what it can be made into.” Reindeer skin is particularly suited for garments which need to be soft and light. It may display signs of the reindeer’s life but this natural roughness is part of the skin’s history.

The treatability of reindeer skin gives rise to new insight and ideas. If both the skin sides are treated, it can be used alone in a reversible garment or, alternatively, there is no need to sew a lining in the garment. It is also important what the seams of leather products look like – consequently, the easy-worked reindeer skin provides the opportunity to play with the decorative effects of the seams.

Siidaa Aberra admits that reindeer skin is a newcomer in the fashion world: ”Designers are not as familiar with reindeer skin as they are with e.g. sheepskin or cow skin. They have not heard of reindeer skin's good properties and suitability for clothing." Even so, the good reputation of reindeer skin, which is slightly more costly than other skins, is reaching the clothing business: ”In my mind, reindeer skin is a truly good material and the designers who, in some way, are familiar with this fact, use it.”

Siidaa Aberra, a promising Finnish designer, has already won recognition as he placed second in the international Remix competition in Milan, Italy in 2009. In 2008, he won the first prize in a competition for young designers, organized by Fur Finland.