Sealskin

Sealskin is the skin of a seal which has been hunted.

Seal skins have been used by aboriginal people for millennia to make waterproof jackets and boots, and seal fur to make fur coats. Sailors used to have tobacco pouches made from sealskin. Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia and Namibia all export sealskin. It was traditionally used to make Scottish sporrans.

The indigenous Inuit people argue that banning seal products is detrimental to their way of life. However, there are many objections to the use of seal skin, fur and pelts, and it is illegal to hunt seals in many countries, particularly young seals. The value of global sealskin exports in 2006 was over 16 million Canadian dollars.