What's the difference between brushes made from weasel, goat, horse, and raccoon dog (tanuki) hair?

Each hair type brings a different character to the brush. Weasel hair is soft yet firm, absorbs water well, and holds a very sharp point — ideal for fine, precise lines, with kolinsky (Siberian weasel) considered the finest and most expensive grade.

Goat hair is soft and absorbs the most water, making it well suited to broad, expressive strokes and Japanese-style painting, though it offers less control for sharp lines.

Horse hair sits in between — moderately firm, commonly used for the tapering tip.

Raccoon dog (tanuki) hair is often blended with wool as a central core to give the brush structure and resilience.

Many of our brushes combine two or three of these materials specifically to balance sharpness, softness, and ink capacity.