Horse hair & bamboo
Plastic-free, right down to the bristles.
Horse hair, woven into bamboo. No nylon, no glue.
8–12weeks
One brush lasts 8 to 12 weeks, then it’s time for a fresh one. A pack of four is about a year. More questions
The BARE toothbrush
Plastic-free, right down to the bristles.
$44.99 AUD four-pack · $11.25 a brush — save $6.97 on singles
- 100% plastic-free, bristles and handle.
- About as soft as a natural bristle gets — gentle on gums.
- Woven into the head. No glue.
- A gently curved handle that sits comfortably in the hand.
Hygienic? Yes — every bristle is sterilised before assembly. More
30-Day Soft Switch · Australian owned · Free AU shipping
Hygienic? Yes. Every bristle is cleaned and sterilised before assembly. More on hygiene
Order before midday (Adelaide time, business days) and it’s usually posted the same day.
Free shipping anywhere in Australia — no minimum.
Covered by the 30-Day Soft Switch.
You’ll be taken to our secure Shopify checkout
The question everyone asks
Hygienic? Yes.
Every bristle is cleaned and sterilised before assembly, so it arrives clean and odourless.
The question everyone asks
It arrives clean and odourless, and stays that way with a rinse and an upright air-dry between brushes. The full answer
- 100% plastic-free, bristles and handle.
- About as soft as a natural bristle gets — gentle on gums.
- Woven into the head. No glue.
- A gently curved handle that sits comfortably in the hand.
- An ethically sourced by-product. Handle and bristles are home compostable.
Why we made it
In two 2025 peer-reviewed studies, particles were measured breaking off nylon bristles. Ordinary bamboo brushes keep those bristles, so they solve half the problem. BARE replaces both halves.
Microchemical J., 2025 · Ecotox. & Env. Safety, 2025
Side by side
| Feature | Plastic | “Eco” bamboo | BARE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristles | Nylon | Nylon | Horse hair |
| Handle | Plastic | Bamboo | Bamboo |
| Sheds microplastic | Yes | Yes | No |
| Compostable | No | Handle only | Handle and bristles |
Our promise
The 30‑Day Soft Switch.
Switch to BARE for thirty days. If you'd honestly go back to nylon, tell us and we refund the lot. You keep the brush, so there's nothing to post back and no forms. First order · the details
Our promise
The 30‑Day Soft Switch.
Switch to BARE for thirty days. If you'd honestly go back to nylon, tell us and we refund the lot. You keep the brush, so there's nothing to post back and no forms. First order · the details
Getting to know your brush
It feels different — that's the point
Natural bristle has more character. Run the head under warm water before the first few brushes and it softens quickly and settles in.
A few bristles may shed at first
They're woven in rather than glued, so one or two can come loose while the brush beds in. It settles fast — and it's the sign there's no glue holding the head together.
Looking after it
Rinse well, flick dry, store upright in open air. Replace every 8 to 12 weeks, then compost the handle and bristles.
From the person who packs your order
BARE is Australian owned and designed, run by one person from South Australia. There's no warehouse and no fulfilment partner. Every order is packed and posted by hand here. The brushes themselves are made overseas.
Reviews
5 out of 5 · 1 review
The first couple of times using the brush felt a little weird, but once I got used to it, I really started to like it. Having a lot more bristles creates noticeably more drag, which means you have to apply a bit more force when pushing — but I actually really like that. I honestly can’t see myself ever going back to petroleum-based plastic and nylon brushes. This feels like a much better alternative, and I’m really happy with it.
Asked and answered
01Is animal hair actually hygienic?
Yes. Every bristle is cleaned and sterilised before assembly. Brushes arrive dry, clean and odourless. Rinse well and air-dry upright between uses and they stay that way. Are horse hair toothbrushes hygienic? The full answer.
02How firm do the bristles feel?
Horse hair is far finer and more flexible than boar, the natural bristle most brushes use. It sits closer to silk than to a scrubbing brush. It feels different from nylon at first. Run the head under warm water before your first few brushes and it softens quickly. Choosing a soft toothbrush for sensitive gums.
03Why do a few bristles shed at first?
Because there's no glue. Bristles are woven directly into the bamboo head, and a few loose ones may work free over the first few brushes as it settles in. Early shedding is the proof it's glue-free, and it usually stops quickly. Do horse hair toothbrushes shed? The full answer.
04Is it ethical?
The hair is collected overseas as a by-product of routine grooming — the mane and tail care horses need anyway, the way a haircut is part of caring for people. No animal is harmed for bristles, and the hair simply grows back. We've written up the full sourcing story, gently and honestly, in our guides. How the horse hair is sourced, in full.
05How long does one brush last?
8 to 12 weeks, then it's time for a fresh one. A pack of four is about a year of brushing; the pack of eight, about two. How long a bamboo toothbrush lasts.
06Can kids use it?
Its softness suits smaller mouths and sensitive gums well. We don't make a kids' size yet, but we'd like to.
07What if I don't like it?
Switch to BARE for thirty days. If you'd honestly go back to nylon, tell us and we refund the lot. You keep the brush, so there's nothing to post back and no forms. One claim per customer, first order only.
08How do I get rid of it when it's worn out?
There's no nylon to pull out and no glue in the head, so the handle and the bristles both break down in a home compost — unlike a standard bamboo brush, where the nylon tufts have to be removed with pliers first. One honest exception: a fingernail-sized aluminium staple secures the weave inside the head. It won't compost — fish it out once the rest has broken down and put it in the bin. How to dispose of a bamboo toothbrush in Australia.
09Does BARE use nylon bristles?
No. The bristles are horse hair — cleaned and sterilised before assembly — woven into a bamboo handle with no nylon and no glue. Plant-based or castor-oil bristles are still nylon; ours are not. One fingernail-sized aluminium staple holds the weave, and it won't compost with the rest. Can you get a toothbrush without nylon bristles?.
10Is it Australian Made?
No. BARE is Australian owned and designed. Every order is packed and posted by hand from South Australia. The brushes themselves are made overseas. Those are different claims, and we keep them separate on purpose.
11How does it ship?
Within Australia, shipping is free and your order travels as letter mail — a slim envelope in the letterbox rather than a knock at the door, usually within the week. Letter mail has no tracking number; the promise instead is simple: if it hasn't arrived within two weeks, reply to your order email and we send another or refund you, your choice. International orders ship with Australia Post International Economy or Express — shipping is calculated at checkout from their live rates. Shipping and returns, in full.