We Are All Connected: Ethical Tanning of Leather
This project also has a Changeshop where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Changeshop: We Are All Connected: Ethical Tanning of Leather.
Mishomis Leather provides a platform for respectful and beneficial relations between people, places and animals by producing superior quality leather.
Sobre ti
Sobre ti
Nombre
Athena
Apellido
Theny
URL en Twitter
URL en Facebook
Sobre tu organización
Nombre de la organización
Mishomis Leather
Sitio web de la organización
País de la organización
Canadá, BC, Vancouver
Country where this solution is creating social impact
Canadá, BC, Canada
Region in BC where your solution creates social impact
Vancouver, Thompson Okanagan, Northern British Columbia, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast.
Tu organización es
Empresa
¿Cuánto tiempo ha estado operando la organización?
Menos de un año
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Innovación
Selecciona la fase que describa mejor el momento en el que se encuentra tu emprendimiento
Inicio (iniciativa piloto que acaba de empezar a ponerse en práctica)
¿Cuánto tiempo se lleva poniendo en práctica tu iniciativa?
Operando menos de un año
The Need: Describe the need for your solution and the size and characteristics of the community(ies) your solution is engaging
The majority of leather that is used to make garments, accessories, and other items is tanned using toxic chemicals in India and China. This toxic chemical process is negatively impacting thousands of people, as well as all other life forms within its vicinity. The most significant harmful effects are environmental pollution and severe negative health outcomes. Moreover, shipping animals overseas has a big carbon footprint.
Indigenous people throughout the world have been tanning leather for thousands of years without the use of harmful chemicals. One technique of leather tanning is the "Brain tanning" method, where the animal's brain is used to tan its hide. However, the art of tanning leather in this method is not as widespread as it once was, and sadly this knowledge is being lost.
La solución: ¿Cuál es tu solución? Sé específico.
We seek to revive the ancient knowledge of brain tanning methods, and to demonstrate a need for indigenous knowledge in the modern world. To do this we identify local experts of this dying art, foster inter-cultural relations and provide a platform for indigenous expertise in a culturally sensitive manner. In the process of tanning, awareness of inherent rights and sovereignty are fostered. By creating local economies communities advance in their abilities to be self-supporting. Multiple generations have an arena in which to come together to share, and cultural traditions are honoured. We will purchase and distribute this leather, with the intention to widen the global availability of sustainable leather to fashion and automotive companies. We will educate consumers about environmentally sustainable, ethical leather so that they may select products that reinvest in the land, animals, and cultural traditions. Our aim is to promote environmental stewardship and conscious consumerism.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include the primary activities involved in your solution.
Rural communities are engaged to participate, on their own terms. Before we enter a community with a proposition to facilitate an information session on how to tan hides and offer avenues for sales, we research who the most appropriate people to contact are, and we follow protocol in native communities. We respect each community's need for varying amounts of time and relationship building. Once community approval is achieved and desire is identified, we facilitate a workshop on tanning hides. A community appropriate action plan for the ethical harvesting and tanning of hides will then be made. Agreements for the sale of hides are also made, thus supporting the desire to continue with the activity, and likely providing motivation for younger generations to participate. With purchased hides we produce fashion accessories and garments, which provides an initial market for the leather, widens availability of sustainable leather goods, and increases awareness of indigenous traditions. A percentage of the proceeds from sales of leather and leather goods will go to the environmental conservation organization of the community’s choice.
The first rural community that we will go to is Kitigan Zibi in Quebec. A local expert, Pinock, will be sharing and teaching his skills. We will expand into additional communities as the need for naturally tanned leather increases, with the goal to have larger-scale tanneries close to the most active communities.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others working to address the same needs as you and indicate what sets you apart from them.
Very few individuals are brain tanning and selling hides in British Columbia. We would rather build relationships with such people and support their endeavors, as opposed to competing with them. Given this, the main competition are the tanneries in India and China.The challenges that they pose are that there is a high market demand for their product, and they are able to turn a much larger profit since they are willing to compromise on human rights and environmental stewardship in the sake of a quick turnaround time and low labor demands. Brain tanned leather is relatively unknown, so in our journey to promote its use we will need to educate the public about the pollution and negative health outcomes caused by chemically tanned leather, and the benefits of naturally tanned leather.
Esta presentación se trata de
Impacto social
Historia de la fundación: Queremos saber acerca del momento en el que hiciste "¡Ajá!". Comparte la historia de dónde y cuándo el/los fundador(es) vio (vieron) el potencial de esta solución para cambiar el mundo.
One founder of Mishomis Leather studied leatherwork while completing her Minor degree in First Nations Studies, and a passion for working with leather developed. As she began to sell her goods she researched where the leather came from, and the more she learned the more she realized that animals, people, and the environment were being exploited for consumers to enjoy leather goods. However, in consulting with her co-founder the team realized that it simply does not have to be this way. This project recognizes the significance of traditional tanning methods. Instead of taking advantage of people and the Earth, we strive to elevate others and protect the Earth.
Por favor, describe el objetivo de tu iniciativa: un resumen de lo que están tratando de lograr
Our goal is to foster and help remember the method of traditional brain-tanning, and strengthen local economies. We want to procure hides as well as teach traditional methods of tanning. We want to strengthen the dwindling economy of Canadian leather by providing a niche market of organic free-range leather. There is a trend to out-sourcing industry to the global market and in natural resource based industry this has been detrimental to the livelihood of rural communities. At this point the Canadian leather industry is not a robust as it could be and we are trying to strengthen it in a sustainable manner.
¿Cuál ha sido el impacto de la solución hasta la fecha?
We are in the start-up phase, and thus our impact is only beginning. To date, we have taught leatherwork and tanning methods in the urban environment, which has reconnected aboriginal elders with skill sets that they had witnessed their parents and other family members doing but have not done so themselves. This created a reconnection with their culture and a deep sense of pride and curiosity about where they came from. As we worked the leather we discussed many topics-from residential schools to the sacred use of animals. This open, safe and supportive environment provided a context for healing. Additionally, we have facilitated skilled aboriginal artisans to find a market and earn income for their leather goods. We have been raising awareness within the Vancouver fashion community about where leather comes from and the harmful effects of current tanning processes.On the whole, there is a massive lack of awareness about chemical tanning and sustainable leather processing alternatives.
Cuál es tu impacto proyectado para los próximos 5 años?
We aspire to impact the global leather market and fashion industry, helping shift the industry towards environmentally sustainable tanning methods by raising awareness among consumers and providing ethical alternatives, indirectly alleviating some negative environmental and health outcomes in Asia. We will revive the ancient knowledge of brain tanning and foster intergenerational knowledge sharing among indigenous peoples, providing a platform for learning about traditions, healing, and a local, culturally relevant economy. We will aid in poverty alleviation in rural Canada by responsibly tapping into this natural resources (game animals taken for food). Within 5 years we project opening larger rural tanning facilities and sustainably expanding to vegetable tanning and distribution.
Las iniciativas ganadoras presentan un plan fuerte de cómo van a alcanzar y realizar un seguimiento del crecimiento. Identifica tus metas a seis meses para el crecimiento de tu impacto
Demonstrate the feasibility of our model by facilitating a workshop in a community; Establish brand awareness
Identifica tres grandes tareas que tendrás que completar para llegar a las metas de seis meses.
Tarea 1
Pilot project at Kitigan Zibi Reserve (November, 2012)
Tarea 2
Build community relationships in both urban and rural context; identify future partnerships (Ongoing)
Tarea 3
Open our Vancouver location (6 and 8 Cordova St.) for retail, leather tanning and public education. (September 1, 2012)
¡Ahora piensa en grande! Identifica tu meta de impacto a 12 meses.
Extend community impact and begin distribution
Identifica tres grandes tareas que tendrás que completar para llegar a tu meta de impacto a 12 meses
Tarea 1
Facilitate tanning workshops in 6 communities.
Tarea 2
Launching of Mishomis Wildlife Foundation to donate a percentage of proceeds into environmental conservation.
Tarea 3
Launch online retail store.
Sostenibilidad
Cuéntanos sobre tus alianzas.
Within the city we have formed partnerships with urban native food sovereignty and healing organizations. We have received a donation from a local social venture philanthropist. Received mentorship and guidance from Indigenous Studies Professors. Connecting with local fashion designers. Relations to urban eco-fashion organizations such as Vancouver Eco-Fashion week in order to promote our leather and leather products. Partnerships will be needed with environmental organizations to stay grounded in our values as well as move our environmental conservation goal of a foundation forward.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your solution? If so, where and why?
We are targeting skilled artisans on a national level. We will work with communities across Canada to tan
facilitating the tanning of local ethically sourced hides. We will assist in the distribution of these hides and aspire to generate an international market.
¿Qué tipo de sistema operativo y factores internos de la organización hacen que tu innovación sea un éxito?
At our heart, our social venture is founded in principles of sustainability. We will be following protocols and approaching the process of tanning hides based on respect for the land, the people, and the animals. By doing so, positive meaningful relations can be made and our presence accepted. Our employment is based on inclusive policies so we can support a diverse workforce. Our policy on hide-for-food not only promotes sustainable leather, but also supports aboriginal food sovereignty.
Por favor, pon en claro las necesidades u ofertas que hayas mencionado anteriormente y/o sugiere categorías de apoyo que no están especificadas en la lista
 | 47 weeks ago Athena Theny updated this Competition Entry. |
| 47 weeks ago Athena Theny updated this Competition Entry. |
| 48 weeks ago Athena Theny updated this Competition Entry. |
| 48 weeks ago Athena Theny updated this Competition Entry. |
| 48 weeks ago Athena Theny submitted this idea. |