# Kidskin

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**Kidskin** or **kid leather** is a type of soft, thin [leather](/source/Leather) that is traditionally used for [gloves](/source/Glove) (hence the phrase '[kid gloves](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kid_glove),' used since at least 1888 as a metaphor for careful handling).[1] It is widely used for other fashion purposes such as footwear and clothing. Kidskin is traditionally made from [goatskin](/source/Goatskin_(material)) – more specifically, the skin of young [goats](/source/Goat) (or 'kids'), although equivalent leathers such as [lambskin](/source/Sheepskin) and chickenskin (actually a form of [calfskin](/source/Calfskin)) give the same effect.[2]

## Usage

Kid leather is, and has been used for a number of purposes other than gloves and footwear. Early flexible [hair rollers](/source/Hair_roller) were sometimes made from kidskin, giving a very tight curl.[3]

### Papermaking

While [vellum](/source/Vellum) is often made using calfskin, kidskin can also be used and in some cases, was preferred. [David Laurent de Lara](/source/David_Laurent_de_Lara), describing himself as [illuminating artist](/source/Limner) to [Queen Victoria](/source/Queen_Victoria), favoured Italian kid vellum for his work.[4]

A form of early medieval parchment, called *carta lustra*, acting as [tracing paper](/source/Tracing_paper) was made using kidskin.[5]

### Dolls

Kid was particularly widely used in doll-making during the nineteenth and early twentieth century as a popular material for both French and German doll bodies, particularly [fashion dolls](/source/Fashion_doll).[6][7]

### Musical instruments

Kid-leather is often used in the construction of musical instruments such as the bag of the [tsampouna](/source/Tsampouna), a form of Greek [bagpipes](/source/Bagpipes).[8] It was also an option for [drumheads](/source/Drumhead) such as those on [tambourines](/source/Tambourine),[9] and specifically, on the Bulgarian [daire](/source/Dayereh).[10] In the early days of [woodwind instruments](/source/Woodwind_instrument), it was used as padding for keys.

### Industrial uses

The [Dalén light](/source/Dal%C3%A9n_light), used in lighthouses, uses a paraffin-wax saturated kidskin [diaphragm](/source/Diaphragm_(mechanical_device)) in its construction.[11]

## Types

In 1916 it was noted that there were over sixty types of goatskin, distinguished by the [tanning](/source/Tanning_(leather)) and finishing processes used.[12] Some of these types are:

- *Bronze kid* - [Cochineal](/source/Cochineal)-dyed for a [bronzed](/source/Bronze) finish.[12]
- *Cadet kid*[12]
- *Cheveril* - A very flexible kid leather used in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.[13]
- *Diphera* - Mid-19th century type of fine kid used for [bonnets](/source/Bonnet_(headgear)).[14][15]
- *Dongola* - Skin from the sheep, kangaroo or goat.[16]
- *French kid* - A high quality kidskin.[17]
- *Glacé (or glazed) kid* - Extremely glossy, shiny finish, often made in more readily available sheepskin, although true kidskin makes better quality glacé kid.[18]
- *Gold (or silver) kid* - Kidskin [gilded](/source/Gilded) for a metallic finish.[19]
- *Kangaroo kid* - Kidskin finished to emulate [kangaroo](/source/Kangaroo) leather.[12]
- *Mat kid* - Beeswax and olive-oil treated kidskin with a dull, soft matte finish.[12][20]
- *[Morocco](/source/Morocco_leather)*[12]
- *[Patent](/source/Patent_leather) kid* - [japanned](/source/Japanning) leather.[12]
- *Pebbled*[12]
- *Royal kid*[12]
- *[Suede](/source/Suede) kid* - Kidskin with a suede finish.[21]
- *Vici kid* - A trademark for high quality chrome-tanned kidskin with a soap and oil finish, developed by [Robert H. Foerderer](/source/Robert_H._Foerderer) in Philadelphia in the mid-1880s.[12]

## References

1. Victor, Terry & Dalzell, Tom (2007). [*The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English*](https://books.google.com/books?id=GIuEAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA381). Routledge. p. 381. ISBN 978-1134615346.

1. Cumming, Valerie (1982). [*Gloves*](https://archive.org/details/gloves00vale). Reprinted. ed. London: Batsford. ISBN 9780713410082.

1. Suga, Yusuke & Penney, Alexandra (1980). [*Beautiful hair by Suga*](https://books.google.com/books?id=aK17Q1XIddAC&q=kidskin). 1st ed. New York: Random House. pp. 50–52. ISBN 9780394507507.

1. Laurent de Lara, David (1860). [*Elementary instruction in the art of illumination and missal painting on vellum*](https://books.google.com/books?id=miwDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA60). London: Longman, Green, Longman and Roberts. p. 60.

1. de Hamel, Christopher (2001). [*The British Library guide to manuscript illumination : history and techniques*](https://books.google.com/books?id=HjGyUAJzd7QC&pg=PA62). Toronto: British Library. p. 62. ISBN 9780802081735.

1. Herlocher, Dawn (2008). [*Collectible Dolls*](https://books.google.com/books?id=YaGV0sdnHd8C&pg=PA110). Krause Publications. p. 110. ISBN 9781440219214.

1. [*A Child's World of Long Ago*](https://books.google.com/books?id=rSCzSrcRl0EC&pg=PA4). Hudson River Museum. 1975. pp. 3–4.

1. Lomax Wood, Anna (2012). ["Kalymnian Tsambóuna and Song Repertoire in the Family of Nikitas Tsimouris"](https://books.google.com/books?id=1iRNQMHnZV8C&pg=PA99). *The Florida folklife reader*. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. p. 99. ISBN 9781617031403.

1. Nicholson, William (1821). [*American Edition of the British Encyclopedia: Or, Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; Comprising an Accurate and Popular View of the Present Improved State of Human Knowledge, Volume 8*](https://books.google.com/books?id=vL9PAAAAMAAJ&pg=PT261). Mitchell, Ames and White. p. 261.

1. Buchanan, Donna A. (2006). [*Performing democracy : Bulgarian music and musicians in transition*](https://archive.org/details/performingdemocr0083buch). Chicago, Ill. [u.a.]: Univ. of Chicago Press. p. [482](https://archive.org/details/performingdemocr0083buch/page/482). ISBN 9780226078267.

1. Renton, Alan (2000). [*Lost sounds*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Qp_GpRyKoD0C&pg=PA10). Latheronwheel: Whittles. p. 10. ISBN 9781870325837.

1. Allen, Frederick J. (1916). ["Leather: Kid"](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Shoe_Industry/XQwLAwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA96). *The Shoe Industry*. The Vocation Bureau of Boston / Рипол Классик (Ripol Classic). pp. 96–97. ISBN 9785874447977. There are over sixty recognized varieties of goat-skins. According to its tanning and finishing, kid is classed as glazed, mat, royal, cadet, patent, suede, bronze, pebbled or morocco, etc.

1. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). [*The complete costume dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA62). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 62. ISBN 9780810877856.

1. Cumming, Valerie; Cunnington, C. Willett; Cunnington, Phillis (2010). [*The dictionary of fashion history*](https://books.google.com/books?id=7NOj8Mc7GowC&pg=PA243). New ed. Oxford [u.a.]: Berg. p. 243. ISBN 9781847885333.

1. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). [*The complete costume dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA88). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 88. ISBN 9780810877856.

1. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). [*The complete costume dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA89). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 89. ISBN 9780810877856.

1. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). [*The complete costume dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA112). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 112. ISBN 9780810877856.

1. Garner Bennett, Hugh (1981). [*Animal Proteins*](https://books.google.com/books?id=XOizoofSTGYC&pg=PT156). Library of Alexandria. pp. 156–157. ISBN 9781465562722.

1. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). [*The complete costume dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA122). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 122. ISBN 9780810877856.

1. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). [*The complete costume dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA188). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 188. ISBN 9780810877856.

1. Lewandowski, Elizabeth J. (2011). [*The complete costume dictionary*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gbIsJ2tZJS4C&pg=PA281). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, Inc. p. 281. ISBN 9780810877856.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kidskin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidskin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidskin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.