Badger brushes - best value "Humane" brush
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Badger brushes - best value "Humane" brush
Hello I live in the UK and I'm a vegetarian plus I care about animal welfare etc.
It kind of goes against the grain for me to buy a badger brush, but everyone here sings their praises.
So my question(s) are:
Is the badger killed for it's bristles? Are they farm reared? If so where?
Basically would my moral stand be comprimised? If not what is the best value "humanely" made brush available here in the UK?
Thanks
Carl
PS Happy 4th July to all the Yanks on the forum.
It kind of goes against the grain for me to buy a badger brush, but everyone here sings their praises.
So my question(s) are:
Is the badger killed for it's bristles? Are they farm reared? If so where?
Basically would my moral stand be comprimised? If not what is the best value "humanely" made brush available here in the UK?
Thanks
Carl
PS Happy 4th July to all the Yanks on the forum.
I don't think any of us really know for sure how the badgers are harvested but it is safe to believe they are indeed killed in the process of obtaining the pelt. As for how this measures up to your moral standards only you can decide that. But if your standards include abstaining from leather shoes, belts, furniture and all other animal by products then you should probably look into the synthetic brushes. If not, well I wouldn't think a badger brush is any different than other animal products you may be using. In the end its whatever you feel most comfortable in doing.
Al
Omega makes a synthetic brush that is, from what I understand, a great one. I don't own one.
But, the badger is killed in the harvesting of the hair. But as Squire said, badgers are trapped in China for the meat, so it isn't as if they just shave the badger and toss the carcass in river.
But, the badger is killed in the harvesting of the hair. But as Squire said, badgers are trapped in China for the meat, so it isn't as if they just shave the badger and toss the carcass in river.
-David
Now go and watch Raiders.
Now go and watch Raiders.
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- Assistant Dean SMFU
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I frankly can't imagine that the treatment of badgers being killed in China is going to be able to be proven to meet any definition of "humane" that one might care to give.
I don't know whether they are wild or farmed or both.
I too suggest going with a synthetic brush. If you go that route, don't buy an un-marked brush; "pure synthetic" or "100% nylon" (or whatever the case may be) should be clearly indicated directly on the brush, not merely at the word of a sales person. More than one person in our midst has bought a boar-hair brush after getting false assurances that it was synthetic.
(Of course, if you don't mind boar hair, then that's not such a problem.)
I don't know whether they are wild or farmed or both.
I too suggest going with a synthetic brush. If you go that route, don't buy an un-marked brush; "pure synthetic" or "100% nylon" (or whatever the case may be) should be clearly indicated directly on the brush, not merely at the word of a sales person. More than one person in our midst has bought a boar-hair brush after getting false assurances that it was synthetic.
(Of course, if you don't mind boar hair, then that's not such a problem.)
For some reason I want to say that they are mostly trapped. I don't remember where I've read this, so I couldn't cite a source. I could be wrong, but it is my understanding that badgers are considered a varmint in China, and are practically everywhere.Squire wrote:David, I have in mind something like a mink farm but really haven't researched it.
On the other hand though, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that they were farmed.
But, as far as the way that they are dispatched, and the humanness of said process, I doubt we'll ever know.
-David
Now go and watch Raiders.
Now go and watch Raiders.
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when the brush makes say bristle do they mean synthetic i have a Kent shaving brush and it really is an excellent brush, i'ld highly recommend it to you Carl
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- Assistant Dean SMFU
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A few years back an online brush merchant said that the badgers that provided the hair for their brushes werre not killed in the process, but shorn like sheep. Dunno if that was the source of the myth, but it certainly promoted it. However, the brushes they sold were made by companies that stated that got the badger hair from China where the animals are hunted.
There are a number of good options for synthetic shaving brushes.
Dave
There are a number of good options for synthetic shaving brushes.
Dave
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