Our materials
The quality of a brush comes from two things: meticulous craftsmanship and the finest materials. In our workshop, we use only selected raw materials that meet the highest standards. Here, we offer you an insight into the key materials that make our brushes so special.
Red sable
The red sable hair comes from the tail of the Siberian marten, *Mustela sibirica*, which lives in Siberia and the northern provinces of China. Red sable hair is still the most valuable natural hair for artists' brushes.
Kolinsky red sable hair, being of the absolute highest quality, differs from regular red sable hair in its slightly lighter color, exceptionally fine tips, and superior resilience. The extensive experience of our specialists guarantees that even our larger brushes can achieve the finest strokes.
Our HABICO brushes bearing the "Kolinsky" imprint are made from 100% pure Kolinsky red sable hair. The "Genuine Red Sable" imprint guarantees brushes made from 100% pure red sable hair.
Squirrel hair
The term "feh" originates from fur processing and refers to the hair of the squirrel. There are various types of squirrel hair, which differ primarily in their color.
The most commonly used hair is so-called blue squirrel hair, recognizable by its dark blue to black sheen. It has particularly fine tips and exceptional suppleness, but less elasticity than red sable hair.
Ox hair
This hair comes from the ear margins of Alpine and South American ox. The natural color palette ranges from black through various shades of brown to white.
The white ox hairs have particularly fine tips and are therefore often dyed to resemble red sable hair. Under the name "red sable imitation," they offer a high-quality and more affordable alternative to genuine red sable hair.
Synthetic fibers "Sablon"
Synthetic fibers consist of industrially manufactured polyester fibers and are available in many colors and different thicknesses.
Brushes made from these fibers have fine tips and are a cost-effective alternative to natural hair brushes.
Because synthetic fibers do not have a natural scale structure, they release color faster than natural hair.
Bristles
Unlike hair and synthetic fibers, pig bristles end in several fine points, known as barbs. The more barbs a bristle has, the higher its quality.
The best bristles come from pigs in the Chinese province of Chungking. We also exclusively use these high-quality Chungking bristles for our finishing brushes. Two equally thick, naturally curved bundles of bristles are joined together in such a way that the bristles do not splay out during painting.
Ferrules
The ferrule connects the brush body to the handle and holds the bristles securely in place. Depending on the brush shape, it is either round or flat.
For our high-quality brushes, we exclusively use seamless ferrules made of nickel-plated or gold-plated brass tubing, as well as drawn aluminum tubing. They are particularly robust and prevent water penetration.
There is a significant difference in quality and price compared to simple sheet metal and nickel clamps with soldered or folded seams. Water can potentially penetrate these clamps through such seams, causing the handle to swell and loosening the secure connection between the clamp body, ferrule, and handle.
Brush handles
Brush handles are made in specialized woodturning workshops or brush handle factories. They should be lightweight and comfortable to hold, preventing fatigue even during extended use.
The wood must have a low density to be easily shaped and pressed. Therefore, we primarily use birch, linden, alder, and beech wood – woods that combine stability with lightness.
