Our History

1851

Traveling with a crate of hog bristles purchased at an unclaimed freight auction, Adam Foss visits his brother in Wooster, Ohio. Attaching the bristles to wood handles, they make paintbrushes, and sell them door-to-door throughout the state.

Ten years before the start of the Civil War, The Wooster Brush Company is born.

1909

Business grows and the company moves from downtown to a new, larger building just a few blocks south.

It remains the company’s location today.

1926

FOSS-SET cement is developed to permanently hold bristles in Wooster brushes. Its strength and durability is demonstrated by “Ted the Tester” hanging from the bristles of a Wooster paintbrush.

1937

Wooster invents the angle paintbrush.

Designed to provide extra control and improve ergonomics, it’s now the most popular style in the USA.

1941

During World War II, the US Government halts trade with China—preventing imports of China bristle, a vital paintbrush component.

Wooster engineered a solution. Using synthetic filament from DuPont, they quickly provided nylon brushes to the U.S. military.

After the war, these tools—the model for what is now the modern paintbrush—were introduced to the public.

1964

Another industry first, Wooster introduces synthetic fabrics for roller covers.

A significant innovation providing exceptional paint capacity for the fastest coverage, they’re now an industry standard.

1992

The SHERLOCK roller frame is introduced. Featuring a retaining spring to lock the roller in place & keep it from slipping, it also allows for hands-free release.

Its smooth rolling bearings, heavy-duty construction & professional-grade durability make it the number one choice for PRO painters.

1999

Wooster unveils the Shortcut.

Revolutionizing painting with a soft-grip, flexible rubber handle, the Shortcut provides superior ergonomics, comfort & control. Its short handle is perfect for small, tight spaces and makes painting trim work and edging easier than ever before.

2019

A bold, new look.

Refreshing the brand, Wooster launches a redesigned logo and product packaging that boldly embraces red—the company’s primary color. Packaging better communicates the key features and benefits of each product and the new logo incorporates a paintbrush into the mark, evoking heritage of the world’s first angle brush—introduced by Wooster in 1937.

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