The Stingray Leather (also called “Shagreen”)

Shagreen is the treated skin of a variety of stingray (Dasyatis Sephen) with a long, poisonous tail. Shagreen is a rare, precious, hard-wearing and above all superb leather. There’s something fascinating, if not intoxicating, about it. It captivates and hypnotizes those who come into contact with it.

With an index of 4 on the Mohs scale, it is by far the strongest leather on the planet (at least 20 times stronger than traditional cowhide). This extraordinary resistance comes from the microscopic texture of its fibers, which are crossed (like a fabric), instead of being parallel like any other traditional leather. It’s the tanning of this hide made from naturally crossed fibers that makes it possible to combine a grainy, soft, extraordinarily resistant hide with an original beauty.

Halfway between leather and mineral, it has a smooth appearance that reveals small rows of sparkling pearls. Each skin contains 1 or 2 elongated white areas, called the “pearl” of that skin. The name Galuchat comes from Louis XV’s Master Craftsman, who in the 18th century was the first to perfect the use of this exceptional material in France. Today, shagreen continues to be sourced from the Indo-Pacific basin, where this species of stingray is found in abundance, is not on the endangered species list and is authorized for fishing. Once consumed, the skin is recycled for use mainly in leather goods and furniture.

For more information on stingray, please visit :

• The page dedicated to this leather on Wikipedia.
• Our article explaining the difference between small- and coarse-grained shagreen.
• A few techniques for recognizing the real stingray leather.