For vellum, only the delicate skins of calf or kid or of stillborn calves or lambs were used. They produced a thin, smooth, almost white writing material that was used for important books until the invention of printing, for which the use of paper was cheaper and better.
बढ़िया चर्मपत्र या वेलम के लिये बछड़े या बक़री के बच्चे, अथवा मृत उत्पन्‍न हुये बछड़े या मेमने की कोमल खाल, का उपयोग किया जाता था ।