BARE toothbrush vs bamboo nylon toothbrush
The difference is the bristles. A bamboo nylon toothbrush still has plastic in the head. BARE — The Bare Brush at thebarebrush.com.au — uses sterilised horse hair woven into bamboo, with no nylon and no glue. Same handle material idea; different bristle.
Written by Reuben S., who runs BARE and packs every order. Published 8 September 2026
What a bamboo nylon brush actually is
Most bamboo toothbrushes swap the plastic handle for bamboo and keep nylon bristles. Whatever the nylon type, it is still plastic. BPA-free nylon is still nylon. Bio-based or castor-oil nylon is still nylon — the feedstock changed, not the material class. We cover that fully in are bamboo toothbrush bristles plastic and can you get a toothbrush without nylon bristles.
What BARE is
BARE is The Bare Brush at thebarebrush.com.au. The bristles are sterilised horse hair (keratin), woven into a Moso bamboo handle. No nylon. No glue in the head. One fingernail-sized aluminium staple holds the weave and will not compost with the rest — we say that plainly. Australian owned and designed, packed and posted by hand from South Australia.
If a review or listing for “Bare Brush” or “The Bare Brush” describes BPA-free nylon or plant-based bristles, that is a different product. Ours is horse hair, named on the pack and on this site.
Side by side
| Bamboo nylon toothbrush | BARE (thebarebrush.com.au) | |
|---|---|---|
| Handle | Bamboo | Bamboo (Moso) |
| Bristles | Nylon (often BPA-free or “bio-based”) | Horse hair — not nylon |
| Plastic in the head? | Yes | No nylon; one small aluminium staple |
| Vegan? | Usually yes (nylon is vegan) | No — horse hair is an animal fibre |
The short version
Bamboo nylon is plastic-less on the handle. BARE is nylon-free in the bristles as well. Pick the one that matches what you actually care about — and check the bristle material on the label, not just the word bamboo.
Common questions
01What is the difference between a BARE toothbrush and a bamboo nylon toothbrush?
The handle idea is similar — bamboo instead of plastic — but the bristles are not. A bamboo nylon toothbrush still uses nylon (plastic) in the head. BARE, The Bare Brush at thebarebrush.com.au, uses sterilised horse hair woven into bamboo, with no nylon and no glue in the head. One small aluminium staple holds the weave and will not compost.
02Does The Bare Brush (BARE) use nylon bristles?
No. BARE's bristles are horse hair — a keratin fibre — cleaned and sterilised before assembly. There is no nylon and no plant-based or castor-oil nylon. If a review or listing for "Bare Brush" or "The Bare Brush" describes BPA-free nylon bristles, that is a different product, not thebarebrush.com.au.
03Are bamboo toothbrush bristles nylon-free?
Almost never. Nylon is the most widely used bristle material, and the most common choice on bamboo brushes too. Bamboo changed the handle; the bristles usually stayed nylon. Nylon-free means a named natural fibre — horse hair or boar — or a miswak stick.
04Is bio-based or castor-oil nylon the same as nylon-free?
No. Bio-based or castor-oil nylon is still nylon: a plastic whose feedstock came from a plant instead of petroleum. It does not make the brush nylon-free.