Zahn Pinsel GmbH Wins FEIBP Innovation Award 2026 for ORBEX Brush System
Zahn Pinsel GmbH has received the FEIBP Innovation Award 2026 for ORBEX, a modular brush system designed to provide adjustable working angles and interchangeable brush heads for precision applications.
LYON, FRANCE — Zahn Pinsel GmbH has been recognised with the FEIBP Innovation Award 2026 for its ORBEX brush system, an innovative approach to brush design that allows the working angle of the brush head to be adjusted according to the task.
The award was highlighted by the European Brushware Federation (FEIBP) as part of its 2026 Innovation Award programme following the 66th FEIBP Congress in Lyon. FEIBP described ORBEX as an interchangeable and adjustable brush system developed to provide greater flexibility, control and precision when working in challenging or hard-to-reach areas.
Rethinking the Fixed Brush Angle
Traditional brushes generally require the user to adapt their hand position to the fixed geometry of the brush. According to FEIBP, this can become particularly challenging when working on increasingly detailed and pre-assembled models, where certain areas may be difficult to access.
ORBEX approaches the problem from a different direction: instead of requiring the user to work around a fixed brush angle, the brush head itself can be adjusted to suit the working situation.
Zahn Pinsel describes ORBEX as a modular ball-click brush system. The brush head sits on a ball, clicks into the holder and can be positioned at the required working angle. Interchangeable brush heads in different sizes can then be used according to the application.
A Modular System for Precision Applications
At the centre of ORBEX is its combination of an adjustable brush head and reusable holder.
The system allows users to:
- Adjust the working angle of the brush head according to the task.
- Change brush heads depending on the required application.
- Access difficult areas where a conventional straight brush may be less practical.
- Use different brush shapes and sizes with the same basic holder.
- Expand the system with additional brush shapes, materials and application-specific heads.
FEIBP notes that the system’s defined locking positions help keep the selected angle stable during use, while the interchangeable heads turn the holder into a more adaptable brush platform.
Developed for Detailed and Hard-to-Reach Work
ORBEX is particularly relevant to applications where precision and access are important. FEIBP specifically highlights model making, miniature painting and diorama building, where detailed or pre-assembled models can create difficult working angles.
Zahn Pinsel’s own product information also positions ORBEX for a wider range of applications, including detail painting, decoration, retouching, restoration and other craft applications where control and flexibility are important.
This gives the system a broader potential application range beyond a single brush category, while retaining the central concept of an adjustable working angle.
One Holder, Multiple Possibilities
One of the more notable aspects of ORBEX is its expandable approach to brush design.
Rather than treating each brush as a separate fixed tool, the system is designed around a reusable holder and interchangeable heads. FEIBP notes that new brush shapes, materials and application-specific heads can be added while the existing holder remains in use.
For specialist users, this modularity could provide greater flexibility when moving between different types of detailed work.
Zahn Pinsel’s current product information similarly describes ORBEX as a system intended to provide greater control, reach and flexibility for creative and demanding applications.
FEIBP Innovation Award 2026
The FEIBP Innovation Award recognises innovation within the European brushware industry, and the 2026 recognition places ORBEX among the products highlighted by the Federation’s latest innovation programme.
FEIBP described the award-winning concept as “a new angle on brush design”, reflecting the central idea behind ORBEX: changing the relationship between the brush and the user’s working position.
FEIBP also congratulated Daniel Zahn of Zahn Pinsel GmbH on the recognition.
For Zahn Pinsel, the award adds further recognition to the company’s ongoing development of new brush concepts. The company currently presents ORBEX as part of its range of special and model-making brush solutions, with production based in Germany.
A Different Approach to Brush Design
ORBEX demonstrates how innovation in the brush industry does not necessarily require completely replacing a traditional product. In this case, the innovation lies in reconsidering one fundamental characteristic of the brush, its working angle, and making that element adjustable.
By combining a ball-click mechanism with interchangeable brush heads, Zahn Pinsel has created a system intended to give users greater control over how the brush meets the working surface.
The FEIBP Innovation Award 2026 recognition puts that approach in the spotlight as another example of how established brush technologies continue to evolve for increasingly specialised applications.
Brushes, Hairs & Fibres congratulates Zahn Pinsel GmbH and Daniel Zahn on receiving the FEIBP Innovation Award 2026.
