Leather Types
What Is Lambskin Leather?
Lambskin leather is leather from a young sheep. The two meanings of "lambskin", how it differs from sheepskin, how it feels, and if it scratches.
Lambskin leather is leather made from the skin of a lamb, a young sheep. It is known as a soft leather used in more expensive clothing and gloves. The word "lambskin" can also mean a skin tanned with its wool still on, so check which one a label means.
This answer is part of our leather types guide.
What is lambskin? Two meanings
Dictionaries give "lambskin" more than one sense, and shops use both: lambskin gloves and lambskin shearling linings.
Cambridge defines lambskin only as the wool-on kind, while American dictionaries also list plain leather made from the skin. On a smooth glove or jacket, "lambskin" means the leather.
In this video, leather maker Tanner Leatherstein shows double-face lambskin with the wool left on one side and suede on the other, one grade for slippers and one for jackets. It shows the wool-on meaning of lambskin; the prices he quotes are his own supplier estimates.
| What the label means | What you get | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Lambskin leather | The skin tanned into leather, wool removed; used for jackets and gloves | – |
| Wool-on lambskin | The skin tanned with the fleece left on, like a pelt; often sold as sheepskin or shearling | – |
Lambskin vs sheepskin
The difference is the animal's age. Lambskins come from young sheep and sheepskins from mature ones, according to one Italian leather wholesaler. That source puts a lambskin at about 4 to 7 sq ft (0.4-0.6 m²). Encyclopedias also use "sheepskin" for the wool-on pelt, which adds to the mix-up. More on the adult animal is in what sheep leather is.
What lambskin feels like and where it is used
Lamb and deerskin are used for soft leather in pricier apparel. One maker of jackets and gloves describes lambskin as light and quick to bend, which suits dress and driving gloves. The same maker says sheepskin and lambskin drape more than cowhide, which feels firmer.
Nappa is a trade name for soft leather that can come from lambs, with no set test behind it; see lambskin nappa leather and what nappa leather is.
Does lambskin scratch easily?
It can. A leather cleaning service describes lambskin as delicate and prone to scratches and stains, which makes care more important. Care steps are in how to care for lambskin leather.
Where to see lambskin named
Most pairs in the Leather Collection men's leather gloves range use 0.8-0.9 mm (about 1/32 in) lambskin, and some use cowhide. The range lists lambskin dress, woven and cashmere-lined gloves, plus lambskin suede pairs.
FAQ
Is lambskin leather real leather?
Yes. It is the tanned skin of a lamb. Our page is lambskin real leather? covers how to check a label.
What is leather with fur called?
For sheep and lambs, a skin tanned with the fleece on is called sheepskin, and the trade often calls it shearling. Other animals' fur-on leather is covered in what hair-on leather is.
HitKB Editorial Team
HitKB articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.