Resin from an insect used by French polishers (7)

I believe the answer is:

shellac

(Other definitions for shellac that I've seen before include "Thin varnish used to finish wood" , "Resin from trees" , "old record" , "Resin used for varnish, formerly for records" , "Material of pre-vinyl 78 rpm records" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.