Stingray leather has earned its reputation of beauty and durability over hundreds of years. Its unique appearance makes it stand out from any other leather and has been frequently synonym with luxury since King Louis XV of France dressed everything from snug boxes, to wig cases in the exotic material.

The Japanese Samurais were one of the earliest adopters and frequently used stingray leather in their armors. It was lightweight and provided magnificent inherent strength towards fire, tearing, punctures, and abrasion. Another logical characteristic- it is also water proof. The mythical samurai sword referred to as Katana, had an element of stingray leather as well. The handle of the Katana, needed to be durable and provide comfortable grip through warfare and stingray leather was, therefore, the obvious selection. The stingray skin is also beautiful and added a sense of luxury to the Katana and is one of the reasons why the Katana sword is still so admired today

Today stingray leather is most commonly found in high-end boutiques in Milan, Paris and New York. Its unique features highlighted by the shiny pebbly texture, along with the bony remnant of the dorsal fin, give the illusion of tiny pearls clustered together making it instantly recognizable. .

Fortunately, Stingrays are neither endangered nor threatened. They are found in abundance near shore in shallow warm waters across the world. Since their meat is highly valued by many cultures, especially around South Asia and the Pacific Rim, practically no part of the fish goes to waste.