Has the Vulfix brand been "mothballed"?

[AimlessWanderer]

As we know, Vulfix owns Simpsons, so we know the company itself is doing well. However, there doesn't seem to be the same consistency of supply around online stores of Vulfix brushes as there are Simpsons. What choices there are kicking around, could easily be old stock, and the Vulfix website is now defunct.

It's got me wondering whether they don't actively pursue the Vulfix brand anymore, or whether they only use the Vulfix handle catalogue for rebranded brushes, so they don't clash with factory branded brushes. Although the taller lofts of Vulfix's traditional line may have fallen out of vogue (customers seem to want scrubbier brushes these days, over the more relaxed high flow through knots), it strikes me that there's a significant quietening in the market for such a thriving company and a historic brand.

Even the new boar brushes have been released as Simpson brushes, when Vulfix has a long history of supplying boar (and mixed hair) brushes.

 

[nemo]

I hadn't noticed, I usually buy mine from diamondedgeltd and their inventory seems good.
I still want to get a Hyde Park 514B from them. Could be old stock.
One of these days.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I hadn't noticed, I usually buy mine from diamondedgeltd and their inventory seems good.
I still want to get a Hyde Park 514B. Could be old stock.
One of these days.

I'll let you know what mine feels like tomorrow. I won't have shaved with it, but will clean (shampoo) and test lather on the palm with it. It's a similar knot diameter to the Piccadilly, but higher loft, so I expect the Hyde Park to be more open and relaxed (less scrubby).

There is another thread on the forum (I forget which), and one of the members says his Grosvenor or Mayfair (or some other) was from before they discoed production in 2007. How accurate that is, I have no idea. I have noticed a reduction of available brushes over the last 12 months though.

So don't wait too long deciding on that Hyde Park, Doug. Last year I could find Piccadilly in pure (which I got), and Strand in mixed (which I didn't). Neither are available now. I haven't ever seen any in boar alone, but apparently that was once offered in the London Series brushes too.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

As we know, Vulfix owns Simpsons, so we know the company itself is doing well.

I have been wondering how well Simpson itself is doing. Perhaps due to an evolving market they seem to have changed their business model in recent years. They now sell on Amazon, they make many more Willy Wonka coloured handles, and have offered many of their handle shapes in two types of synthetic fibre. Their focus seems to have shifted to the bulk selling of budget brushes which due to their price point I doubt are tied in house, or produced using the traditional methods for which Simpson are known. I am no businessman and am speculating - all this may be indicative of a flourishing business, but I wonder if it diminishes the Simpson brand, for me it does.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I have been wondering how well Simpson itself is doing. Perhaps due to an evolving market they seem to have changed their business model in recent years. They now sell on Amazon, they make many more Willy Wonka coloured handles, and have offered many of their handle shapes in two types of synthetic fibre. Their focus seems to have shifted to the bulk selling of budget brushes which due to their price point I doubt are tied in house, or produced using the traditional methods for which Simpson are known. I am no businessman and am speculating - all this may be indicative of a flourishing business, but I wonder if it diminishes the Simpson brand, for me it does.

I am sure they are thriving. Simpson, Semogue, and Omega are probably (I'm guessing) the three best known brands worldwide. Selling direct, as they do with the standard line, as well as the specials, also means they get not just their margin, but whatever margin the global resellers would have had too.

The skilled knotsmiths or whatever they are called, whip out several brushes an hour. There's a video on pootube showing one being tied, and they're damn slick at it. The handles themselves being CNC made, will be spat out at a fair rate, even if they do still need hand polishing after.

To my naive eye, I think they're doing well. I'm not seeing any signs of the Simpson brand not thriving, even if the Vulfix brand seems to have lost steam somewhat. But then, I don't think they're overly concerned which label they stick on the handle and box, so long as they keep selling brushes at full production capacity. If that means rattling a few pretty coloured ones out during the quiet times, to lure the collectors in on Black Friday, so be it.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I have been wondering how well Simpson itself is doing. Perhaps due to an evolving market they seem to have changed their business model in recent years. They now sell on Amazon, they make many more Willy Wonka coloured handles, and have offered many of their handle shapes in two types of synthetic fibre. Their focus seems to have shifted to the bulk selling of budget brushes which due to their price point I doubt are tied in house, or produced using the traditional methods for which Simpson are known. I am no businessman and am speculating - all this may be indicative of a flourishing business, but I wonder if it diminishes the Simpson brand, for me it does.

I think you have the finger right on the pulse. Brush business has totally changed in last few years. Not only closing old, well established companies down - just to name two brush companies in Europe: Thaeter and Vielong. But also smaller brush makers like here in the USA, Sears and Mozingo. I believe the trend is to cheap, mass produced (China), synthetic or even badgers. How often do we see here the question for the cheapest, but high end badger.....or people raving about that they got a brush for some $3 or so.
The mid-market segment, in which companies like Shavemac and Simpson are in, is getting smaller. No wonder Simpson is offering cheap synthetics and now also boars in the low end price range; Shavemac also offers now a variety of synthetics and one can have one made to ones own configuration, with four different syns, or five different badgers. In my opinion, the low end and the very high end market is still going strong, but the mid range (to which I also include myself) is getting smaller. High end brushes, Varlet, DG, Wald, Long etc are selling out fast or have long delivery times.
Just my opinion and experiences during the last 15 years of brush making.

 

[tanvir]

I am sure they are thriving. Simpson, Semogue, and Omega are probably (I'm guessing) the three best known brands worldwide. Selling direct, as they do with the standard line, as well as the specials, also means they get not just their margin, but whatever margin the global resellers would have had too.

The skilled knotsmiths or whatever they are called, whip out several brushes an hour. There's a video on pootube showing one being tied, and they're damn slick at it. The handles themselves being CNC made, will be spat out at a fair rate, even if they do still need hand polishing after.

To my naive eye, I think they're doing well. I'm not seeing any signs of the Simpson brand not thriving, even if the Vulfix brand seems to have lost steam somewhat. But then, I don't think they're overly concerned which label they stick on the handle and box, so long as they keep selling brushes at full production capacity. If that means rattling a few pretty coloured ones out during the quiet times, to lure the collectors in on Black Friday, so be it.

Can they be facing pressure from Yaqi, DS Cosmetics, and the likes? Vie Long and Thater with long established timelines are no more. Kent badger brushes with models like BK8/BK12 are gone. Kent is now marketing shaving brushes in the same space as inexpensive/cheap imports. Don't know about other makers.

I hope you are right and Simpson, Semogue, and Omega are flourishing.

 

[BigJ]

I think you have the finger right on the pulse. Brush business has totally changed in last few years. Not only closing old, well established companies down - just to name two brush companies in Europe: Thaeter and Vielong. But also smaller brush makers like here in the USA, Sears and Mozingo. I believe the trend is to cheap, mass produced (China), synthetic or even badgers. How often do we see here the question for the cheapest, but high end badger.....or people raving about that they got a brush for some $3 or so.
The mid-market segment, in which companies like Shavemac and Simpson are in, is getting smaller. No wonder Simpson is offering cheap synthetics and now also boars in the low end price range; Shavemac also offers now a variety of synthetics and one can have one made to ones own configuration, with four different syns, or five different badgers. In my opinion, the low end and the very high end market is still going strong, but the mid range (to which I also include myself) is getting smaller. High end brushes, Varlet, DG, Wald, Long etc are selling out fast or have long delivery times.
Just my opinion and experiences during the last 15 years of brush making.

Thanks for the insights!! Sad, but I expect, very close to the truth.

 

[nelsonic21]

I think you have the finger right on the pulse. Brush business has totally changed in last few years. Not only closing old, well established companies down - just to name two brush companies in Europe: Thaeter and Vielong. But also smaller brush makers like here in the USA, Sears and Mozingo. I believe the trend is to cheap, mass produced (China), synthetic or even badgers. How often do we see here the question for the cheapest, but high end badger.....or people raving about that they got a brush for some $3 or so.
The mid-market segment, in which companies like Shavemac and Simpson are in, is getting smaller. No wonder Simpson is offering cheap synthetics and now also boars in the low end price range; Shavemac also offers now a variety of synthetics and one can have one made to ones own configuration, with four different syns, or five different badgers. In my opinion, the low end and the very high end market is still going strong, but the mid range (to which I also include myself) is getting smaller. High end brushes, Varlet, DG, Wald, Long etc are selling out fast or have long delivery times.
Just my opinion and experiences during the last 15 years of brush making.

I was wondering if the same thing would happen with razors. I've noticed that Yaqi keeps on coming out with less expensive versions of some razors.

 

[A.E. Simpson 1919]

Vulfix still very much alive guys. Generally white label market these days.

In regards Simpson and the core business, happy to report healthy sales across all brush offerings at differing price points. Never been more choice or affordability. Something for everyone.

It's 2023, soon to be 2024 and the Chinese are doing their very best to corner the market, however, we have fabulous distributors & retailers worldwide and an appreciative, loyal and smart customer base.

Thanks to all that have made this year so successful and wishing everyone at B&B a fantastic festive season.

Regards as ever,

Mark & the Simpson team

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Vulfix still very much alive guys. Generally white label market these days.

In regards Simpson and the core business, happy to report healthy sales across all brush offerings at differing price points. Never been more choice or affordability. Something for everyone.

It's 2023, soon to be 2024 and the Chinese are doing their very best to corner the market, however, we have fabulous distributors & retailers worldwide and an appreciative, loyal and smart customer base.

Thanks to all that have made this year so successful and wishing everyone at B&B a fantastic festive season.

Regards as ever,

Mark & the Simpson team

Mark,

Thank you for the reply and clarification. The white label approach makes perfect sense, and explains why the Vulfix logos are maybe less prominent than they might be.

Good to hear all is well. I have added eight Manx brushes to the stable this year (all budget brushes, I only paddle in the shallow end of the pool). The Beaufort B1 and B2 in pure and the Special in Sovereign have probably charmed me the most out of those. Even more than the Berkeleys did, which surprised me.

Here's hoping next year will be at least as good for you as this one.

Cheers
Al

 

[cvac]

I believe the trend is to cheap, mass produced (China), synthetic or even badgers. How often do we see here the question for the cheapest, but high end badger.....or people raving about that they got a brush for some $3 or so.

It's the same thing with any gear in this hobby now. Cheaply produced product from China, then rebranded under a store/vendor name or other brand.

If you go on places like Reddit and YouTube, there's a whole LOT of stealth promotion of "Ali Express" type brands in all sorts of hobbies. Not just wetshaving.

 

[Al Bundy]

Very good to hear Vulfix is alive and well.

It would be nice to see the brand name become a little more prolific again vs the white label market though