BrushArt™ animals are hand made from the most super-abundant and self-regenerating of natural materials: leaves, leaf fibers, seeds, and seed pods, held together with wire and glue.

Most important to a BrushArt™ animal is the buri sugar palm. This tall palm tree, common throughout the Philippines, has many uses: the nut kernels can be cooked and eaten, the sap produces excellent sugar, the strong leaf midribs go into the making of cane furniture, while the leafy portions are woven into hats and bags. It is the long, thick leaf stems that provide the fiber from which the body of a BrushArt™ animal is made.

First, the stems are crushed and soaked in stream water until only strong, white fibers remain. These are combed, to separate and clean them. They are then cut to length, depending on the size of the animal and twisted on a wire core into brush cylinders. The brush is trimmed and bent, and other plant parts attached for eyes, ears, legs, etc. Organic dye is added for color . . . what could be more eco-friendly?

Buri palms live for up to fifty years and grow new leaf fronds continuously. One frond stem produces enough fiber for up to a dozen animals.

BrushArt™ animals make delightful and imaginative gifts. You can bend them into different lifelike positions—just hold firmly between your palms and twist!