A real chamois cloth is made up of animal leather. This means that the material is breathable. What makes it an excellent accessory for automobiles is that it's great for absorbing moisture. Synthetic chamois cloths are made up of PVA, or polyvinyl alcohol, wheat starch, and cotton. Although it is called synthetic because of the processes it undertook, the components of this towel are naturally occurring thus making it an environmentally-friendly alternative.