Ecological brush: what the word promises – and what you can actually check

Hundreds of people in Switzerland type “ecological brush” into Google every month. The honest answer is uncomfortable: the word is not a material, a country of origin or a certification mark. In Switzerland, “ecological” has been among the claims that a company must be able to substantiate since January 2026 [1]. In the EU, it has no longer been permitted on a product without recognised evidence since 27 September 2026 [2]. What remains when you remove the word? Six questions you can check against any brush, and our answers for our own, including where the answer is “plastic”.

1. Why “ecological brush” says nothing, and since 2026 is no longer allowed to

“Ecological”, “sustainable”, “green”, “environmentally friendly”: these words have no standard, no metric and no testing body. Any brush can carry them as long as no one asks questions. That is exactly what is changing, in two places at once.

In Switzerland, a new clause in the Federal Act against Unfair Competition has applied since 1 January 2025: anyone making claims about the climate impact of their products must be able to substantiate them with objective and verifiable grounds. The burden of proof lies with the company, not with you [1]. The enforcement guidance issued by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) in January 2026 goes a step further and names the vague words: “environmentally friendly”, “ecological”, “green”, “sustainable” and “eco” count as generic climate claims whenever climate impact is a significant part of a product’s environmental impact. The same requirement for evidence then applies to them [1].

In the EU, Directive (EU) 2024/825 has applied since 27 September 2026. It bans generic environmental claims made to consumers unless they are backed by recognised excellent environmental performance, and it bans sustainability labels that are not based on an independent certification scheme [2]. A leaf drawn by the company itself on the packaging is therefore no longer a certification label, but a legal risk.

A survey of over 8,000 consumers in eight countries shows why this was necessary: 76 per cent say sustainable shopping matters to them. At the same time, one in three companies surveyed had already faced accusations of greenwashing, and seven in ten consumers turn away from a brand if they suspect it [3]. The Swiss sustainability study by Promarca and Ipsos describes trust in companies’ environmental promises at the end of 2025 as “still very low” [4].

We think this is right. QUOALA does not use these words itself, including for its own products. Not because we lack the courage, but because they say nothing. What we can say is set out in the next six sections.

2. What are the bristles made of? Natural fibre, plastic and the microplastics problem

The first question is the most important, because the bristles are the part that does the work, wears down and touches you. There are three possible answers: animal hair, plant fibre or plastic.

A word on honesty: the microplastics measurements come from toothbrushes, not body or hair brushes. There is no study measuring abrasion from a bath brush, including ours. What we can state is the principle: plastic bristles lose material through friction and water, and that material remains [5].

And a trap that is often overlooked: “Vegan” does not automatically mean ecological. A brush with nylon bristles is vegan. It is still made from petroleum, releases particles and persists. Animal welfare and the environment are two different questions. If you want both, you end up with plant fibres such as Tampico, wherever they can fulfil the function. Read more in the article Boar bristle vs. Tampico.

3. Where does the wood come from? What FSC substantiates and what it does not

Wood is not automatically the better choice. It depends on which forest it comes from and how long the handle lasts.

The label of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) confirms that the wood comes from a forest managed according to fixed rules: no conversion of natural forest, protection of water and soil, the rights of local people, and independent checks along the supply chain [9]. That is a lot. But it is not everything. A systematic review of 98 studies from 1993 to 2021 shows that certification has a positive effect on forest degradation in most studies, while research on deforestation is limited and divided. Many studies are designed in ways that make it impossible to attribute the effect clearly to certification [10]. FSC therefore substantiates management at the source. It does not substantiate every outcome in the forest.

At QUOALA, the handles are made of beech wood, and the beard brush handle is made of pear wood, both native hardwoods with a dense, even structure [11], from FSC-certified forests [9]. What wood means compared with plastic over its life cycle has been studied most thoroughly in pallets, not brushes: there, the wooden version had a CO₂ footprint 72 to 80 per cent lower than plastic over the entire life cycle [12]. We have no such life cycle assessment for a brush, so we give no figure for our products. More on wood in the article FSC wood at QUOALA.

4. Which parts are still plastic? An honest list of parts

Almost every brush has more parts than you can see: a strap, cord, cushion, bristle anchors, a nail or pin. The word “plastic-free” is only true if every one of these parts has been checked.

At QUOALA, this means the following: the hand straps on our bath and Kloster brushes are made of an elastane-blend fabric. This is a plastic. We chose it because it holds wet and dry, does not tear and lets you hang the brush on a hook for years. A cotton tape would not have managed that. The soap bag consists of 70 per cent organic linen, 20 per cent cotton and 10 per cent elastane, so that it stretches around the soap. This, too, is stated on every product page.

That is why we do not call the brand “plastic-free”. We only say it where it is true: the Hand & Nail Brush, Boar Bristles, Double-Sided, Medium-Firm consists of beech wood and bristles, without a single plastic part. It can carry the word. The others cannot.

Three products you can check against the questions straight away

5. Where and how is it made? Europe, EMAS and why this can be checked

The place of manufacture determines whether the rules under which a product is made can be checked at all. Where no one can look, every statement remains a claim.

Our brushes, foot files and wooden tools are made by a family business in Germany, as they have been for generations. The business holds EMAS registration, under the EU environmental management scheme under Regulation (EC) 1221/2009. EMAS requires an annual environmental statement with figures on energy, water, waste and emissions, verified by independent auditors and published [13]. The soap bag is made by a GOTS-certified family business in Italy; GOTS checks not only the fibre but every processing stage, including chemicals, wastewater and social criteria [15].

And the animal bristles? Boar bristle and horsehair are by-products of existing uses. No animal is kept for a brush. Their route into the EU is governed by Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 on animal by-products, with proof of origin and hygiene rules [14].

Why do we not name the business? Because it also supplies other brands, and our role is not to own a workbench but to select, explain and take responsibility. The origin can still be checked: through the country, the environmental management scheme and the labels. Read more in the article The EMAS label.

6. How long does it last, and what happens afterwards?

The most environmentally friendly brush is the one you do not have to replace. Two things determine this: whether it can be cared for and repaired, and what happens to it when it really has reached the end of its life.

Caring for natural materials is simple, but there are rules: never soak wood, let brushes dry with the bristles pointing downwards, and oil the handle occasionally. Oil makes the wood water-repellent [16], and dry surfaces harbour fewer germs [16b]. The bath brush has a detachable brush head; the handle stays when the head eventually wears out. No one has measured how long a natural brush lasts in everyday use in a study, so we do not promise a number of years. The instructions are in the Care guide.

At the end of its life: wood and keratin are broken down by microorganisms. Wool fabric, chemically the same material as bristles, showed significant degradation after just weeks in soil tests [17]; in the seawater test, wool broke down but nylon did not [6]. This does not amount to a promise for the whole brush. A bath brush with an elastane strap does not belong on the compost heap. Take it apart for disposal: wood and bristles go into general waste or, where possible, green waste; the strap goes into general waste. In 2023, the EU banned intentionally added microplastics in cosmetics on the grounds that they do not break down [18]. Brush bristles are not covered by this. The underlying principle is the same.

7. Putting ourselves to the test: four QUOALA products in six answers

A checking framework that only applies to others is no framework at all. Here are the six questions applied to four of our products, including everything that is plastic and everything we do not know.

Two entries in this table are uncomfortable, and they stay in it anyway. With Tampico, we know that the fibre comes from wild Lechuguilla agave; we have not checked whether our supplier’s harvesting protects the plant populations. We are asking and will add the answer here. And in the soap bag, the elastane is what makes it work, and what means it does not belong on the compost heap at the end of its life. Both are true. Every item of evidence for this table is on our Evidence page.

8. What “ecological brush from Switzerland” honestly means

QUOALA is a Swiss brand. Manufacturing takes place in Europe. Both in one sentence, because both are true and because the order matters.

Development, material selection, responsibility for every claim and customer service are based in Switzerland. The workbench is in Germany, and in Italy for the soap bag. There is no Swiss brush manufacturer that could make our entire range to this quality, and we do not claim there is. So anyone searching for “brush Switzerland” gets no flag from us, but an address, a line stating the origin of each product, and delivery only within Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

What this means for you: short distances, rules that apply here and are checked here, and someone you can ask. More about our choice of materials in the article Every material has a reason.

9. Frequently asked questions

Sources and further reading