History
The terms "shammy" and chamois as used to refer to specially prepared leather originated sometime before 1709, referring to the prepared skin of any goat-like animal, specifically the European Antelope—commonly called the "chamois"—and exclusively used by the glovemaking industry of southwest France. It was discovered that when tanned in the local cod oil of nearby Biarritz, the result was a material of unprecedented absorbency. This leather was fashioned into soft white gloves designed for carriage footmen, who were responsible for the care and polishing of carriages. This industry usage later transferred to the chauffeurs of the "horseless carriages" invented in the early 1900s. The popularity of chamois leather greatly increased with the advent of mass-produced automobile windshields, which needed to be washed frequently for visibility purposes, but were inconvenient and time-consuming to dry through alternative means.
Read more about this topic: Chamois Leather
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