VERMIN
VERMIN in its current transition, are looking to become 100% Australian owned and made. The VERMIN journey into Indigenous communities turning the elusive cane toad to a luxury leather product. We begin this journey on a recent trip to the tropical islands of the Torres Strait, an Indigenous community on the northern tip of Cape York Peninsula, one of the many communities affected by this introduced species. After numerous conversations with local Indigenous rangers and pest control officers, our research continues to see firsthand what the cane toads are doing to the local wildlife and environment. We commence our research into turning these pests to luxury leather.
VERMIN is committed to providing First Nations peoples and communities in the top end an opportunity for employment in their local community and a pathway into the fashion and leather industry by reversing this environmental destruction. We are also committed to administering the most ethical, sustainable and environmentally friendly solution in our leather-making process. Stay tuned as the VERMIN journey unfolds to becoming 100% Australian owned and made.
For more information contact Lia Tabrah and Perina Drummond at hello@verminthelabel.com
SCROLL THROUGH THE RECENT VERMIN JOURNEY BELOW
Lia Tabrah launched VERMIN in 2019 for MONA Museum Eat the Problem pop up shop
Lia Tabrah and Perina Drummond in Thursday Island 2020
Sylvia Tabua at Radio 4MW
Lia and Perina with Sylvia Tabua at Radio 4MW
Radio 4MW Facebook page
Front cover of Cape & Torres News 2020
ABC News online by Jesse Thompson 2020
ABC News online by Jesse Thompson 2020
ABC News online by Jesse Thompson 2020
ABC News online by Jesse Thompson 2020
ABC News online by Jesse Thompson 2020
Perina and Lia at The Bush Tannery workshop
Josh McLean from The Bush Tannery
Flying in to Torres Strait Islands
Arrived at Horn Island
Thursday Island
Controlling the toads on the islands
Controlling the toads on Thursday Island
Spot the toad Thursday Island
Lia and Perina in their toad hunting uniform
Lia and Perina in their toad hunting uniform
Lia and AJ toad hunting in Thursday Island
Local boy AJ toad hunting in Thursday Island
AJ Toad Hunting in Thursday Island
Toad hunting catch on Thursday Island
drying out the toad skins in Thursday Island
Leaving Horn Island
Visiting Gordonvale from Cairns
Terry Selwood – the legendary toad supplier sitting in his Cairns office of 30 years
Terry was rocking the same shirt from his star role in the documentary – Cane Toads: The Conquest
Sugarcane fields in Gordonvale where cane toads were first introduced in 1935
Sugarcane fields in Gordonvale where cane toads were first introduced in 1935
Cane Toad World in Gordonvale
Cane Toad World in Gordonvale
‘Toad Man Jack’ and his wife showing us his toad ‘Anthropomorphic Taxidermy Art’ in Gordonvale
Morgane Pinet stitching the the toad leather from Thursday Island
Thursday Island toad leather stitched by French luxury bag maker, Morgane Pinet
The Guardian article published in March 2020