Gloves and Apparel
What Is Kidskin Leather? Soft Goat Leather and Why It Is Used for Gloves
Kidskin is soft, thin leather from a young goat, long used for gloves. See thickness, how sources differ on goat vs lamb, and where 'kid gloves' comes from.
Kidskin is soft, thin leather made from the skin of a young goat, called a "kid". It has long been used for gloves, and also for shoes and clothing. Kid gloves were popular in Victorian times and are still made today.
This definition is part of our guide to leather gloves and apparel.
Kidskin at a glance
In leathercraft an ounce is a measure of thickness: 1 oz is about 1/64 in (0.4 mm). That puts the merchant's 1.5 to 2 oz at about 0.6 to 0.8 mm. No standard sets a kidskin thickness, so treat any figure as one seller's spec.
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| What is it? | Soft, thin leather, traditionally from young goats |
| Which animal? | Dictionaries say young goat. Some sources also allow lamb (see below) |
| Typical uses | Gloves first; also footwear and clothing |
| How thin? | One leather merchant gives its kid glove skin as about 1.5 to 2 oz, roughly 0.6 mm (0.024 in), as a rough estimate |
| Is it a brand? | No. It is a general name for the leather, with named kinds such as French kid, glacé and suede kid |
Why kidskin is used for gloves
Gloves need leather that is soft and thin enough to bend with the hand. Kidskin is described in just those terms: soft and thin. A glove-maker resource page calls kidskin from young goats one of the thinnest work-glove leathers.
Goat leather is not described the same way everywhere. Wikipedia's Glove article calls goatskin hard-wearing but coarser. Its Goatskin article says goatskin is often used where a soft hide is needed, such as gloves and boots. The sources disagree, and none we read explains why.
Is kidskin always goat?
Mostly, but the sources are not identical:
- Dictionary.com: leather from a young goat's pelt.
- Wiktionary: "kid gloves" come from the skin of a young lamb or goat.
- Wikipedia: traditionally goat, though lambskin can give the same effect.
So a "kid" label alone may not settle which animal was used. Our page on lambskin leather covers the young-sheep side.
Where the phrase "kid gloves" comes from
"Handling with kid gloves" means treating someone or something carefully. The image is of gloves made from a fine, soft skin. The phrase has been used in this sense since at least 1888.
Kidskin next to other soft leathers
| Leather | What the name tells you | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Kidskin | Young goat; soft and thin | – |
| Lambskin | Skin of a young sheep | – |
| Cabretta | Hair-sheep leather used chiefly for gloves and shoes; see what is cabretta leather | – |
| Nappa | A generic term for soft leather from calves, lambs or kid goats; see what is nappa leather | – |
| Sheep leather | The wider group; see what is sheep leather | – |
How to check a glove label
Look for the animal and the word "kid" or "goat" on the tag or product page. A tag that only says "leather" or "genuine leather" does not name the animal.
For a store example, Leather Collection's men's leather gloves page lists lambskin driving gloves and lined winter styles in lambskin, cowhide or suede. It does not name kidskin. For how leather gloves are styled and worn, see Leather Collection's guide to leather gloves.
FAQ
What are kid gloves?
Gloves made of kidskin, the leather of a young goat. The phrase is also used figuratively for careful handling.
Is kidskin real leather?
Yes. Dictionaries define it as leather made from a young goat's pelt.
Is kidskin the same as lambskin?
No, though they overlap. Kidskin is traditionally goat; lambskin can give the same effect. For the word on sheep, see is lambskin real leather?.
HitKB Editorial Team
HitKB articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.