How to Choose a Clothes Brush: Redecker Guide

A clothes brush does something a lint roller can't: it removes dust, hair and pilling without adhesive, without waste, and without wearing out. Brushing a coat after each wear keeps it out of the dry cleaner, and brushing a sweater lifts the fibres back into shape rather than flattening them.

That's the part we find genuinely worth talking about. A good brush isn't just a low-waste swap for a roll of sticky paper — it makes the clothes you already own last longer, which is the most sustainable thing any of us can do with a wardrobe. Brushing between wears means fewer washes, fewer trips to the dry cleaner, and knitwear that doesn't pill its way into the donation bag after two seasons.

It's why we've built out a full range rather than stocking one generic brush. These are all made by Redecker, a family workshop in Germany that has been making brushes by hand since 1935 — beechwood and pearwood bodies, natural bristle, and built to be repaired and kept rather than replaced. Each one is designed for a particular fabric, because that's what actually works.

No single brush handles everything. Bronze wire that revives suede would damage cashmere. Soft bristle that suits fine knits won't shift dog hair from a wool coat. Here's the whole range and which fabric each one is for.

Clothes brushes at a glance

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Lint Brush

A dense pad of natural bristle set in a wide beechwood block, designed for upholstery and clothing. The lint brush lifts animal hair and dandruff out of fabric rather than sitting on the surface the way adhesive rollers do — and it keeps working for years, where a roller runs out.

If you live with a cat or a dog, this is the one that earns its keep fastest. Available in two sizes; the larger one is worth it if you're doing furniture as well as clothes.

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Soft Clothes Brush

The all-rounder. Soft, light bristle handles the widest range of fabrics, which makes the soft clothes brush the right choice if you only want one brush in the wardrobe. Gentle enough for most knits, effective enough for everyday dust on tailoring.

Long beechwood handle, so you can reach the back of a coat without twisting.

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Firm Clothes Brush

Stiffer black bristle for fabrics that can take it — wool coats, blazers, heavy jackets, anything structured. The firmness is the point: the firm clothes brush drives into a dense weave and lifts out the dust that soft bristle skims over.

Not for cashmere or fine knits. Use the softer brushes there.

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Cashmere Brush

Two bristle types in one head: black bristle down the centre for lifting, with an outer row of soft light bristles for delicate areas. Brushing cashmere and fine wool between wears with the cashmere brush removes surface dust before it settles into the fibre, which is what actually reduces how often a garment needs cleaning.

Worth knowing: the bristles are a by-product, so no animal is harmed to make it, and the brush is fully compostable at the end of its life.

How to use it: lay the garment flat, hold it taut, and brush in one direction rather than back and forth.

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Suede Brush

Fine brass wire rather than bristle. Suede and nubuck flatten and shine with wear, and wire is what lifts the nap back up — bristle simply isn't stiff enough. The suede brush also shifts dried mud and scuffs that a cloth would only smear.

Use it dry, in short strokes, working with the grain first and then against it to raise the pile.

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Bronze Clothes Brush

The most versatile brush in the range. Redecker describe the bronze clothes brush as suitable for almost all fabric types: the bronze wire removes pilling from sweaters, and it doubles as an upholstery brush, particularly good on velour.

If you want one brush that covers pilling, upholstery and general fabric care, this is it. Leather hanging loop, so it lives on a hook rather than in a drawer.

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Pocket Clothes Brush

Compact enough for a handbag or a jacket pocket. The pocket clothes brush also works as a "waiter's brush" for sweeping crumbs from a table — a small detail that tells you how sturdy it is for the size.

The one to keep at the office or in a suitcase for touch-ups before a meeting.

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Which clothes brush should I buy first?

If you're buying one brush, the soft clothes brush covers the widest range of fabrics. If you have pets, start with the lint brush instead. If your wardrobe leans towards knitwear, the cashmere brush will get more use than anything else.

Most people end up with two: a soft brush for everyday and something specific — cashmere, suede or lint — for whatever they own most of.

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Common questions

Are clothes brushes better than lint rollers?

For most purposes, yes. A lint roller lifts what's on the surface and then runs out; a brush works dust out of the weave, lasts years, and produces no waste. Rollers still have a place for a quick pass on the way out the door, but they don't clean fabric the way brushing does.

How often should I brush my clothes?

After each wear for coats, blazers and knitwear. It takes under a minute and it's the single biggest thing you can do to stretch the time between dry cleans.

Can I use the same brush on cashmere and a wool coat?

Better not to. Firm bristle suited to a structured coat will be rough on fine knits, and soft bristle won't do much on a heavy weave. The cashmere brush solves this partly with its two bristle types, but a dedicated firm brush is still better for outerwear.

How do I clean a clothes brush?

Use a brush and comb cleaner to pull hair, dust and dirt out of the bristles. Keep water off the wooden body — wipe it with a barely damp cloth if it needs it, and let it dry away from heat.

Can I try one in store?

Yes — the difference between soft and firm bristle is much easier to feel than to read about. Come by the shop on Dundas St W and try a few, or we'll ship across Canada if you'd rather order.

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Browse the full range of clothes and shoe brushes, or come and try a few at our Toronto store.