Japanese "Turtle" vegetable brushes are known in Japan as tawashi. Each is a completely natural scrub brush made from palm fibers, then is tightly bound with thick wire. It is the perfect utensil for scrubbing root vegetables and other items without bruising the skins. Also excellent for washing pots and pans, especially ones made from cast-iron, earthenware and stainless steel. Tawashi brushes also are fantastic for getting the crevasses of suribachi bowls and sushi mats clean. They are inexpensive and will outlast regular synthetic brushes. They're even great for scrubbing clean wooden cutting boards, utensils or even bathtubs.