Some shaving brushes are badger hair brushes. There are also boar’s hair and horse hair shaving brushes. However, many shaving brushes now use synthetic nylon bristles. Lots of expert barbers prefer synthetic shaving brushes. While not quite as stiff, they produce lather just as quickly and use less soap because they don’t soak up water like natural hair. They also dry faster and are considerably cheaper. In many areas, badger populations are in decline, so synthetic brushes are eco-friendly, too.