Austrian horsehair
Horsehair is a generic name that is used in the trade to include various types of curled animal hair, like those obtained from the tail and mane of horses. It comes in various colors, depending on the mix of animals and on the particular breed of horse it comes from. Once sampled, washed and properly carded horsehair acquires a particular softness and a characteristic brilliance bordering on iridescence. Midsummer uses only the best horsehair, coming exclusively from horses and not from other animals. Horsehair has been used through the centuries in upholstery because it is elastic and flexible. Its natural elasticity is improved by the curling treatment to which it is subjected. Like wool, but to a lesser extent, horsehair has the ability to absorb excess moisture when we sleep and disperse it in the air during the day.