Sable hair comes from the weasel-like marten and the Kolinsky, or Asian, mink. Found in northern Siberia, the best sable hair has excellent spring (resilience), point (tapered shape), and a reddish-brown luster.
Sable pelts are unique because the fur feels as silken and smooth whether stroked with or against the grain. According to the Fur Information Council of America, a rich brown with a silver sheen is the favored color.
Expensive sable hair art brushes are produced from the middle hairs of the sable's tail. These hairs are the thickest, and the most tapered and undamaged. Blick Art Materials says to use sable brushes for oil paints only since acrylics are caustic and can cause hair degradation.
Some goat hair---cashmere and angora---is spun into wool and woven into a variety of textile items like sweaters, coats, carpets, and blankets. Goat hair is also used for oriental art brushes.
Stiff and containing pockets that absorb abundant ink, goat hair is used for calligraphy brushes. The highest quality goat hair brushes have a yellowish tint and a finely tapered tip. According to trueart.info, high-quality goat hair art brushes are rare in the United States.