Inversa Leathers
INVERSA is a US-based startup that removes destructive, non-native species, such as Python, Dragonfin, and Lionfish from vulnerable ecosystems, to produce authentic leather.
The company helps vulnerable ecosystems access fashion’s immense resources, transforming a wasteful and damaging industry into a positive conservation stakeholder.
By catering to the luxury fashion industry's appetite for sustainable materials, INVERSA has successfully driven the removal of over 30,000 Lionfish so far to help protect Caribbean reefs. Its Invasive products include:
Lionfish Leather - Non-native Lionfish are one the biggest threats to the coral reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 80% of newborn native fish within 5 weeks of their appearance on a given coral reef. Each Lionfish hide contributes to protecting up to 70,000 native species.
Dragonfin Leather - This species is causing the Mississippi River to turn into sludge, posing a threat to the numerous indigenous fish species and the people whose livelihoods are tied to both the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. Each Dragonfin hide contributes to protecting 150+ native species and 1.5+ million livelihoods.
Python Leather - The Florida Everglades is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is being destroyed by this prolific predator. Each non-native Python hide contributes to protecting 90% of native mammalian life.
The startup employs chemicals that have received REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) approval and ESG+ procedures throughout all its operations.
The process produces less wastewater than conventional leather processing. By following the guidance of respected nonprofit organizations, such as Conservation International (CI) and the Ocean Risk and Resilience Alliance (ORRA), INVERSA ensures ethical standards are upheld during removal efforts.
Removing harmful non-native species — that were largely introduced due to human error — creates the opportunity to rehabilitate the affected ecosystem. For example, removing a Lionfish from a given reef system and regularly conducting removal efforts in the area can result in a 50-70% recovery in native flora and fauna.Previous efforts to subsidize such endeavors have proven unsuccessful due to inadequate funding, offering minimal compensation of only $2-3 per Lionfish.
Additionally, these attempts were too small in scale to significantly impact the protection of reefs. However, through market-driven approaches such as INVERSA's, the communities most severely affected by Lionfish infestations will now receive valuable resources. This strategy unlocks previously inaccessible financial means to effectively expand invasive control measures.
