Shellac is a
resin secreted by the female
lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes (pictured at right) and dissolved in
ethanol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food
glaze and
wood finish. Shellac functions as a tough natural
primer,
sanding sealant,
tannin-blocker,
odour-blocker,
stain, and
high-gloss varnish. Shellac was once used in electrical applications as it possesses good
insulation qualities and it seals out moisture.
Phonograph (
gramophone) records were also made of it during the 78-rpm recording era which ended in Western countries during the 1950s.