A new design for a hairbrush that pulls apart easily for cleaning is the latest release from an ongoing project at Ohio State University in the US to reinvent household objects to last longer.

The bristles are posed on rows of curved supports that resemble paths in a maze, are flexible, and pull apart easily for cleaning.

The MAZE Hairbrush © Image courtesy of Scott Shim, The Ohio State University

Scott Shim, an associate professor of design at Ohio State, says the MAZE brush’s easy upkeep could make users less likely to throw away their hairbrushes when they get too dirty, thereby creating less landfill. The average hairbrush is used for between six months and one year before it is thrown away, according to Shim’s research.

"We don’t want people to have to throw away a perfectly good hairbrush just because it needs to be cleaned," says Shim.

What’s more, the brush’s design simplifies manufacturing, making it possible to create in one injection-moUlded piece rather than several, as it takes for most conventional brushes.

Shim’s team is working on different prototypes on a 3D printer and installing the bristles by hand. The 3D printer restricts them to using common plastic, which can get brittle, so they are in search of more flexible plastics suitable for mass production and are looking to join forces with scientists specializing in materials.

He says he became inspired for the project when he noticed how often his wife had to clean her hairbrush. "I couldn’t understand why she had to do that. Then I did some market research, and found out how often hairbrushes get thrown out — not because they’re worn out, but because they’re disgusting and people didn’t maintain them well.

Ohio State is currently seeking licensing partners to bring the patented hairbrush to the market in the health and beauty industry, and a pet version is set to be available, too.

The brush won first place in the Beauty, Personal Care and Cosmetic Products Design Category of Italy’s A’ Design Awards and won a Green Product Award from white lobster, a German sustainable innovation agency.