Curling brushes (also called curling brooms) are made from a mix of modern composites and specialized brush fabrics designed to change how the stone travels on the ice.

What are curling brushes made of?

1. The handle

Most modern curling brush handles are made from lightweight composites rather than old-school wood.

Common materials:

  • Carbon fiber – Very light and very stiff, used by most competitive and TV-level players for maximum sweeping speed with less fatigue.
  • Composite (carbon fiber + fiberglass mix) – A mid-range option that balances cost, weight, and durability.
  • Fiberglass – Heavier and cheaper, popular for beginners, clubs, and recreational curlers.
  • Wood (traditional) – Older brooms often had wooden handles, but these are now uncommon in serious play.

In simple terms: carbon fiber for performance, fiberglass for budget, composites in between.

2. The brush head and “bristles”

The head is where the broom meets the ice, and its materials matter a lot for how the stone curls or runs straight.

Main head components:

  • Head frame/base – Usually plastic or light composite attached to the handle, often with a swivel so it can rotate as you sweep.
  • Brush pad / fabric – This is what actually contacts the ice and is the part most people mean when they ask what the “bristles” are made of.

Types of head surfaces:

  • Synthetic fabric heads (modern standard)
    • Typically made from treated nylon or nylon Cordura–type fabric.
* Designed to reduce friction in a controlled way and help the stone travel farther and/or straighter.

* Used by the majority of everyday and competitive curlers.
  • Hair heads (traditional style)
    • Made from natural hair like horsehair or similar stiff natural fibers.
* More common in older brooms or some recreational setups, less common in top-level competition today.
  • Heated / specialty heads (more niche/advanced)
    • Some designs use metal elements heated by an inner core to warm the ice slightly and further reduce friction.

So a modern “pad style” curling brush is usually: composite head + synthetic nylon fabric cover, often replaceable.

3. Quick comparison in table form

Below is an HTML table to match your formatting rule:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Part</th>
      <th>Common Materials</th>
      <th>Typical Use</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Handle</td>
      <td>Carbon fiber, composite (carbon + fiberglass), fiberglass, older wood designs [web:1][web:4][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Carbon fiber and composites for serious/competitive play; fiberglass and wood for recreational use and budget options [web:1][web:4][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Head frame/base</td>
      <td>Plastic or lightweight composite with a swivel joint [web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Holds the pad or hair in place and allows angle adjustment while sweeping [web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Pad / bristles (modern)</td>
      <td>Synthetic nylon or treated nylon Cordura-style fabric [web:5][web:9]</td>
      <td>Main contact surface on the ice in most modern brooms; tuned for distance and control [web:5][web:7][web:9]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Pad / bristles (traditional)</td>
      <td>Natural hair such as horsehair or similar [web:6][web:7]</td>
      <td>Older or traditional brooms; now less common in high-level competition [web:4][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Specialty / heated heads</td>
      <td>Metal components with internal heating elements [web:5]</td>
      <td>Designed to further reduce ice friction in specialized broom designs [web:5]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

4. Mini “quick scoop” recap

  • Handles : mostly carbon fiber, composite, or fiberglass today; wood is old-school.
  • Heads : light composite/plastic frames with replaceable pads.
  • Contact surface : mainly synthetic nylon-based fabric , with some older or niche brooms using horsehair or similar natural bristles.
  • Why these materials? To be light, stiff, and predictable on ice so sweepers can fine-tune how far and how straight the rock travels.

TL;DR: Modern curling brushes are usually carbon-fiber or composite- handled brooms with a plastic/composite head and a synthetic nylon fabric pad, while older brooms used wood handles and horsehair-style bristles.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.