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Iris Hantverk

Iris Hantverk, Brush Makers
Sweden
Iris Hantverk began in the late 1800s as a small brush manufacturing company, with founder Dr. Axel Beskov establishing a workhouse for visually impaired craftsmen in Stockholm, Sweden. Today, their brush binding manufacturing continues in Sandsborgsvägen, Enskede. With an intentional effort to employ visually impaired craftsmen from different cultures, each Iris Hantverk brush is made by hand according to old Swedish tradition based on techniques and materials that have remained unchanged for more than 100 years.
Using mostly natural materials, Iris Hantverk’s combination of functional design and quality lead to sustainable products that rarely need replacement. Their range of bristle materials include bassine, goat hair, piassava and cereal root to name a few. In addition to their brushes, they produce many other practical, every-day goods, equally high in quality. In 2012, operations for Iris Hantverk were taken over by Sara Edhäll, responsible for purchasing and running Iris Hantverk’s two stores, and Richard Sparrenhök, purchaser of brush materials and head of production. 

Further Information

Caring for natural brushes

With a little simple care, natural handmade brushes will age beautifully. If used wet, allow the brush to dry thoroughly between uses with its bristles pointing down, and from time to time oil the wood once dry. We recommend a food grade oil or cold pressed linseed oil, applied with a cloth (if linseed oil is used make sure to rinse the cloth properly in water to avoid fire risk). Let the oil soak well into the wood before using the brush again. If necessary, clean the brush with washing-up liquid and warm water, using a comb if necessary to clear debris. Remove as much moisture as possible with a towel, then leave to air dry, hanging up or resting on its bristles.

Sustainability

By combining century-old techniques with high-quality components, Iris Hantverk rejects fast consumerism in favour of creating long-lasting, timeless everyday items.

Further Reading

A well finished stitched horsehair hand brush for floor sweeping, with a beech wood and black-painted handle, with a hole for hanging. Horsehair is a great natural fibre for sweeping brushes, with anti-static qualities and a soft but effective feel.  From the workshops of Iris Hantverk in Swede..
£22.00
Ex Tax:£18.33
A handled scrubbing brush, made from birch with bristles of tampico fibre — a water and chemically resistant plant fibre from the Mexican Agave Lechugilla. The Swedish tradition of visually impaired craftsmen finding work in the manufacture of brushes continues today in the form of Iris Hantverk, wh..
£21.75
Ex Tax:£18.13
A mushroom knife with brush, with an oiled, turned birch handle, which has a shaped indent perfect for the thumb to rest whilst applying gentle pressure during the act of harvesting. With a horsehair brush, whose medium length bristles provide just enough power to clean without spoiling the delicate..
£27.50
Ex Tax:£22.92
A knitted organic cotton bath towel in natural undyed cotton. Compact and flexible yet very absorbent, the loose knitted structure creates gentle friction and increases surface area, allowing for increased absorbency, and improved air circulation which speeds drying and helps prevent bacterial growt..
£82.00
Ex Tax:£68.33
A pure white knitted organic cotton bath towel. Compact and flexible yet very absorbent, the loose knitted structure creates gentle friction and increases surface area, allowing for increased absorbency, and improved air circulation which speeds drying and helps prevent bacterial growth. From Iris H..
£82.00
Ex Tax:£68.33
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