Texas cowboy boots made from giant amazon fish support sustainable fishing communities

Deep in the Amazon Basin swims one of the world’s largest freshwater fish, the pirarucu, whose tough, diamond-scaled skin has found an unlikely second life in Texas cowboy boots. This massive fish, which can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh 440 pounds, possesses skin so durable it protects against piranha attacks while remaining flexible enough for luxury leather goods.

The sustainable pirarucu fishery represents a conservation success story that benefits both Amazon communities and fashion markets. While the fish’s meat serves as the primary product, the valuable skin—weighing at least 22 pounds per fish—sells for $32-38 and commands higher prices than the meat itself. This premium leather market, centered primarily in Texas where the boots are manufactured in both the U.S. and Mexico, provides crucial income that helps traditional fishing communities maintain fair prices for their catch.

“Selling the skin is crucial to maintaining the 10 reais per kilo of pirarucu paid to fishers,” explains Ana Alice Britto from the Carauari Rural Producers Association (ASPROC). Founded in 1994, ASPROC represents 800 families across 61 riverside communities in the Middle Juruá River region and sold 180 metric tons of pirarucu last year alone.

This innovative approach demonstrates how luxury markets can support environmental conservation. By creating economic value from every part of the sustainably harvested pirarucu, these Amazon communities have developed a business model that protects the species while providing livelihoods—proving that conservation and commerce can successfully coexist.