For more than 170 years, The Wooster Brush Company has played a significant role in the development of professional painting tools. Established in 1851 in Wooster, Ohio, the company has introduced a number of innovations that have influenced the way painters work around the world. These advancements helped improve accuracy, durability and productivity for painters, while setting new standards for paint application tools.
The First Angle Paint Brush
One of Wooster's most influential innovations came in 1937 with the introduction of the world's first angle paint brush. Designed to provide greater control and visibility when cutting in around trim, windows, doors and ceilings, the angled brush offered painters a practical improvement over traditional flat-cut brushes.
The design allowed for a more natural wrist position and improved precision when painting detailed areas. As a result, painters could achieve cleaner lines and more consistent results with less effort.
Today, angle sash brushes remain one of the most widely used brush styles in the painting industry. Whether working on residential renovations or large commercial projects, professional painters continue to rely on a design that has changed very little since its introduction nearly ninety years ago.
Pioneering Synthetic Filaments with DuPont
The Second World War created significant supply challenges for brush manufacturers. Natural China bristle, the preferred material for many paint brushes at the time, became difficult to obtain due to wartime trade restrictions.
Rather than accept these limitations, Wooster worked with DuPont to explore the potential of nylon filaments as an alternative. In 1941, the company began manufacturing brushes using synthetic nylon fibres, initially for military applications before introducing them to the commercial market after the war.
This marked a turning point for the painting industry. Synthetic filaments offered a number of advantages over natural bristle, including improved durability, consistency and resistance to moisture.
As water-based paints became increasingly common, synthetic brushes proved particularly effective. Unlike natural bristles, which absorb water and can lose their shape, nylon filaments maintained their stiffness and performance when used with waterborne coatings. This made them an ideal choice for modern paint systems and helped accelerate the industry's shift towards synthetic brush technology.
Today, synthetic filament brushes are the preferred choice for professional painters using water-based paints, highlighting the lasting influence of Wooster's pioneering work with DuPont in the development of modern paint brush technology.
Introducing Synthetic Fabrics for Roller Covers
Wooster's commitment to innovation continued in 1964 with the introduction of synthetic fabrics for paint roller covers.
Prior to this development, many roller covers relied on natural fibres that often struggled to balance paint pick-up, paint release and durability. Wooster's synthetic fabrics delivered improved performance across all three areas, helping painters achieve more consistent coverage while increasing productivity on larger jobs.
The new materials enabled roller covers to hold more paint, release it more evenly and withstand repeated use. These benefits were particularly valuable as the industry embraced faster application methods and increasingly sophisticated coating technologies.
Today, synthetic roller fabrics are the industry standard and are widely used throughout New Zealand and around the world. Their origins can be traced back to Wooster's efforts to improve efficiency and finish quality for professional painters.
A Lasting Influence on the Painting Industry
The history of The Wooster Brush Company is marked by innovations that helped shape modern paint application. From the world's first angle paint brush to pioneering synthetic filaments and synthetic roller fabrics, Wooster introduced technologies that improved accuracy, efficiency and overall painting performance. More than 170 years after its founding, the company's influence can still be seen in the tools professional painters use every day.
