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Reading the description of the new Edge Paints set, I noticed the brush included in that set is made with Sable hair. After seeing that, I went over to the brush section of GW's site and found out most of their brushes are in fact made with (Kolinsky) Sable hair.

It is an understatement to say that I now feel quite stupid for never checking that out before, because I am very VERY much opposed to fur products. There is a significant difference between side products of the meat industry (whatever I and anyone else may think of that is an entirely different discussion), and a fur industry that is simply nothing more than a completely unnecessary, completely unethical & disgusting form of animal cruelty.

So my current GW brushes will go straight into the garbage bin where they belong, and I'll have to find alternative cruelty free brushes. I am rather appalled that GW turns out to contribute to animal cruelty in this way when cruelty free alternatives should be available.

The (obvious) point of this thread:

I can imagine there are more gamers/hobbyists out there who aren't aware of this fact, but who do care about this.

Also, any suggestions for good quality alternative brushes are of course welcome.

How about explaining why this is an issue...?

Hilarious thread is hilarious and obvious troll is obvious.

I'd love to know how you plan to put your models together...

You can do as you wish and spend your money as you see fit.

I'm fairly sure you can shave a weasel without killing it..

 Kanluwen wrote:
How about explaining why this is an issue...?

Because animal cruelty is a HUGE issue to a lot of people?

 Cyporiean wrote:
I'm fairly sure you can shave a weasel without killing it..

The euphemism is strong in the above quote.

 Grimtuff wrote:
Hilarious thread is hilarious and obvious troll is obvious.

I'd love to know how you plan to put your models together...

I can assure you that this thread is quite serious.

 TBD wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
How about explaining why this is an issue...?

Because animal cruelty is a HUGE issue to a lot of people?

No, I get that.

Explain how (Kolinsky) Sable hair brushes contribute to animal cruelty.

Well they don't clip the hair off the animal and release it back into the wild...

Can I have the brushes you're throwing away? O.o

Meh, a farmed animal is a farmed animal. Meat, fur, leather, research.

I cut my hair once in a while. It doesn't hurt too much.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 TBD wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
How about explaining why this is an issue...?

Because animal cruelty is a HUGE issue to a lot of people?

No, I get that.

Explain how (Kolinsky) Sable hair brushes contribute to animal cruelty.

Do I really have to explain this

Those animals are bred, stuffed together in small cages before getting electrocuted and skinned. All the while there are synthetic alternatives, making it completely unneccesary.

 Kanluwen wrote:

Explain how (Kolinsky) Sable hair brushes contribute to animal cruelty.

Because in the process of gathering the hair, the Weasel may or may not be killed.

I've found sources that say they are raised on a farm, and then shaved (like sheep), and released back onto the farm.. and others that they are skinned in the process. Likely there are farms for both methods, but generally speaking, the weasel doesn't need to be killed to shave its tail.

And no people, they don't just shave the animals once in a while as some seem to think.

 TBD wrote:

So my current GW brushes will go straight into the garbage bin where they belong, and I'll have to find alternative cruelty free brushes. I am rather appalled that GW turns out to contribute to animal cruelty in this way when cruelty free alternatives should be available.

The (obvious) point of this thread:

I can imagine there are more gamers/hobbyists out there who aren't aware of this fact, but who do care about this.

Also, any suggestions for good quality alternative brushes are of course welcome.

Good luck... About 95% of the 'cruelty free' brushes on the market are just a perspective on what is cruel. They consider hair from aging horses whoa re going to be killed 'anyways' is cruelty free. They consider squirrels killed as pests cruelty free as well. And they shave goats for goat hair brushes which are coarse. So when a company says it is an animal-hair 'cruelty free' there is a good chance it won't actually meet your standards.

All good brushes are animal hair. You can try synthetics but I have never gotten a good paint job out of one.

Also. Everyone who uses brushes already knows where the brush hairs comes from. Not a surprise. It isn't like a majority of the world uses synthetic brushes and GW is some 1920's villain making demonic brushes out of the hairs of extinct animals and the stems from the bones of orphans. The entire industry makes their brushes of the exact same material.

 TBD wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 TBD wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:
How about explaining why this is an issue...?

Because animal cruelty is a HUGE issue to a lot of people?

No, I get that.

Explain how (Kolinsky) Sable hair brushes contribute to animal cruelty.

Do I really have to explain this

Those animals are bred, stuffed together in small cages before getting electrocuted and skinned. All the while there are synthetic alternatives, making it completely unnecessary.

Yeah, you kinda do.

Not everyone is aware of what Kolinsky Sable hair comes from, nor the fact that it comes from an animal which does not "farm" well.

If you want to raise awareness, it helps to explain things better than you did.

TBD, are you a vegertarian, or atleast eat free range meat?

nkelsch wrote:
Also. Everyone who uses brushes already knows where the brush hairs comes from. Not a surprise. It isn't like a majority of the world uses synthetic brushes and GW is some 1920's villain making demonic brushes out of the hairs of extinct animals and the stems from the bones of orphans. The entire industry makes their brushes of the exact same material.

This is why I pointed out the difference between side-products of the meat industry (for example ox hair + nylon fibres) and a fur product which is 100% unnecessary cruelty.

Ugh, They dont kill the Weasels, they shave them.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Ugh, They dont kill the Weasels, they shave them.

Never let logic get in the way of outrage!

 Kanluwen wrote:
Yeah, you kinda do.

Not everyone is aware of what Kolinsky Sable hair comes from, nor the fact that it comes from an animal which does not "farm" well.

If you want to raise awareness, it helps to explain things better than you did.

Alright, you have a good point there.

Initially I wasn't entirely sure how to interpret the "how is this a problem".

nkelsch wrote:
... It isn't like a majority of the world uses synthetic brushes and GW is some 1920's villain making demonic brushes out of the hairs of extinct animals and the stems from the bones of orphans.

You forgot the twinkie extract.

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Ugh, They dont kill the Weasels, they shave them.

No they don't shave them.

If that seriously is what you think you are in for a rude awakening, unfortunately.

To answer your other question: yes, and if there is a reasonable alternative to any animal-unfriendly product I go with that.

 TBD wrote:

nkelsch wrote:
Also. Everyone who uses brushes already knows where the brush hairs comes from. Not a surprise. It isn't like a majority of the world uses synthetic brushes and GW is some 1920's villain making demonic brushes out of the hairs of extinct animals and the stems from the bones of orphans. The entire industry makes their brushes of the exact same material.

This is why I pointed out the difference between side-products of the meat industry (for example ox hair + nylon fibres) and a fur product which is 100% unnecessary cruelty.

Not really. Tools made from animals built civilization. Fur to wear may be deemed cruel, but I see a distinct difference for animal byproducts being used for tools. One could hardly call a 'brush' one of the first writing tools used in civilization 'cruel'. I also don't begrudge people who had to survive in Siberia to cover thier little pink skins in animal skins to survive. It also doesn't help that the Siberian weasel is a pest, destructive to livestock and crops and is overly destructive as it kills more than it eats opposed to only what it needs.

Sure fashion furs of rare animals may be cruel, but there is a million shades of grey as this issue is hardly black and white unless you live a very vegan lifestyle... (which I respect people who do so. It is the inconsistent, selective outrage, middle of the road people who I find disingenuous)

Not to mention the Siberian weasel is classified on the list of 'least concern' along with cockroaches, pigeons, mosquitoes and humans as species which are on the verge of going extinct.

I have no problem using brushes as it is a tool used by civilization, and it is not exploiting an endangered animal.

But surely it should be "The whole art industry contributes to animal cruelty".GW has its faults but they are not the only brush purveyor in the world. What next? Every time Mat Ward breaks wind a weasel dies!

This is a non issue for me.

nkelsch wrote:

Not really. Tools made from animals built civilization.

So did slave labour. Fallacious argument is fallacious

Thanks to the OP for bringing it to my attention though. I'll look for alternative brush sources in future, if I can.


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 FattyJay wrote:
This is a non issue for me.

Marked as spam. If everyone posted in all the threads they had no interest in, forums wouldn't really work.

But then the world wouldn't know how badass you are for being indifferent to cruelty against animals right?

So you binned a perfectly good set of brushes because you didn't like where the bristles came from?

You don't see the irony in not ensuring that full use is made of the product to make sure the animal didn't suffer "in vain"?