Thai-based company Rayfish Footwear has been doing something not usually associated with a shoe manufacturer: raising stingrays. The company intended to use the animals leather for shoes, and last year for the first time, they reached their goal. Rayfish scientists were able to successfully manipulate stingray DNA to produce different vibrant leather coloration's that can be made-to-order.
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The test models of the sneakers can be ordered right now, and cost anywhere from $14,800, to $16,200. However, the innovative, customizable shoes will only cost a cool $1,800 once regular E-commerce begins later this year.
Consumers can combine skin patterns and coloration from dozens of different stingray species. The synthetic "supergene" cluster is then implanted into fetal rays before they are born. Once the stingray reaches maturity, the predetermined skin patterns become prominent, and the shoe is ready to be made. The concept is frightening, but could be a sneak peek into the future of genetic engineering.
Go HERE to learn more about the customizable Rayfish shoes!
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