"Kosher" Brushes

This question may seem out of the ordinary to some:

Most if not all of my family and friends avoid pork/beef and pork/beef by products because of cultural beliefs, I’ve become aware of some brushes that are made with boar bristle. I’m certain the issue will arise in the future and it’s an accommodating factor when I’m servicing to be conscious of respective practices. Has anyone had to manage this and if so what brand of brush would you recommend?

* Time to get back to work however I shall return. Thank you in advance.

Which brand of brush is it that uses boar bristles? Personally those would strike me as being a bit too stiff and coarse for face painting, unless they refine them? To avoid any conflict you may try synthetic bristle brushes; they come in basically every style you want, and don't use natural animal hair, yet they perform about as well as any natural hair brush. You just would have to look at the packaging to see that is says "synthetic bristle" on it. Just a thought.

You won't generally find boar used in the brushes we use. Generally it is a stiffer hair used in brushes for oil and acrylic painting.

Natural hair used in the brushes we use include sable and sometimes squirrel.

If you are worried about breaking kosher, stick to synthetic/acrylic brushes.

That's what I was thinking Shannon, now that you mention it, I think a few of my oil painting brushes are made with boar bristles. But I obviously don't use those for face painting, they'd hurt and cause irritation because they are so stiff and coarse. And squirrel? Really? That's fascinating, I'm going to check out the packaging of my brushes from now on when I buy them. I would have expected like horse or rabbit hair, since they are often raised for stuff like that, they're livestock. I guess we learn something new everyday!

So appreciative Shannon and Sandra! I understand better now what to look for. It's the little things that people look for / ask about . . .

Enjoy your weekend!

Goat hair too.

I am Jewish, I understand the question completely. I have a set of synthetic brushes I picked up from Michaels craft store (with a coupon) just for B-mitzvahs, JCCA events, my extended family, etc. I found they work just as well as the natural. It just took a bit of practice for me to get use to them.

You know, they are not supposed to eat your brushes ;-)

But interesting questions. I often paint in areas with lots of Muslims, guess it would be the same problem. Not that I have ever been asked about that. My guess would be the first ones would be from Greenpeace or something. Come to thing about it, I have painted for them, glad they didn't ask about my brushes, I do like the sable ones!

Greenpeace is probably fine with sable... PETA would be the ones to get angry about it!!

Yes, I mixed up Greenpeace with Peta, thanks.

Now... if your brushes had whale bone or Norwal tusk handles then I'm sure Greenpeace would step up!!

So does this mean they don't use leather at all? Does that mean you cant use sable brushes as well? Hmmm interesting question, but in short synthetic/acrylic would solve the problem. My family is Seventh-Day adventist, and they dont eat shrimp, pork, etc...(what it says in the Bible), but seeing as we aren't eating it, I don't think it would be a problem...