Goatskin is leather made from the hide of a goat. After a goat's skin is removed, it goes through a process called tanning that transforms the raw hide into soft, durable leather. Goatskin has been valued for thousands of years because it's both flexible and tough, making it perfect for items that need to bend without tearing.

Throughout history, people have used goatskin to make water bags, wine containers, drumheads, book bindings, and gloves. In ancient times, before paper was common, scribes wrote important documents on goatskin parchment. The famous Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in caves and over 2,000 years old, were written on goatskin. Today, goatskin is still prized for making high-quality leather gloves, shoes, and jackets because it's lighter and more supple than cowhide while remaining surprisingly strong.

The word can also describe something made to look or feel like goatskin leather. Morocco leather, a type of fine goatskin, was traditionally used for binding expensive books and remains a mark of quality craftsmanship.