Brush making

The making of brushes for painting, shaving etc.

Status	Endangered
Craft category	Animal
Historic area of significance
Area currently practised
Origin in the UK
Minimum no. of craftspeople required	1-5
Current no. of trainees	0 (See ‘Issues affecting the viability’ for further details)
Current no. of skilled craftspeople	4 (G.B Kent & Son); Unknown (Winsor & Newton)
Current total no. of craftspeople	Two businesses

Market issues: Dependent on exchange rates to some extent but more to do with exporting products than importing materials.
Market issues: The core business is machine-made brushes and so the survival of the hand craft is dependent on the survival of the core business.
Training issues: At G.B. Kent & Sons, the only firm manufacturing clothes, shoe and shaving brushes, there are no trainees but, if needed, existing craftspeople at will train existing staff. Although new handmade brushes and restoring old brushes is important it would not take up an employee’s full day.