Fish-skin garments from the Hezhe ethnic group in Heilongjiang Province. Made from the skin of large fish such as salmon and carp, and durable and resistant to cold weather and water, the Hezhe people’s unique costume is worn only on festive or special occasions. To prepare the material, the skins are carefully peeled and the scales removed. The skins are then hung on a door to dry. The process of designing and making the clothing is done entirely by hand and can take several months to finish. The fish skin is thick is difficult to penetrate with a needle, and to avoid damaging the skin, a length of cut bamboo is used for skinning rather than a knife. The stitching is done with a fish bone needle and animal tendon thread. Dozens of fish skins may be used for one outfit.
Sources: CriEnglish.com, Harbin Ice, Cultural China