The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of screwlike bristles by extruding monofilaments. In order to provide a method with which screwlike bristles can be inexpensively manufactured in the same way as conventional bristles with an identical, predeterminable quality, a monofilament having a non-circular cross-section is extruded and is prestretched after drawing off, accompanied by a reduction in its cross-section, followed by further stretching, twisting to a screwlike bristle material over at least part of its length and then stabilization by shrinkage. It is possible to extrude a monofilament with an oval or polygonal cross-section or having a core and at least one axially parallel rib. According to a further method, at least two monofilaments are prestretched on drawing off, accompanied by a reduction of their cross-section, followed by further stretching, twisting together to give a screwlike bristle material and stabilization by heat shrinkage.