An apparatus for producing round brushes, which have bristles twisted in between two portions of a folded wire. The apparatus has a bristle feeding device and a rotary gripper for twisting two portions of wire with bristles located therebetween, a deflecting device with two deflecting rollers spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the wire. The rotary gripper is linearly displaceable transversely in relation to the longitudinal direction of the wire, for gripping the folded region of the wire that is formed by force being applied by an application element that is adjustable between the deflecting rollers transversely in relation to the longitudinal direction of the wire. A bristle feeding device, for feeding bristles to the bent-around portions of wire, is provided in the region of the deflecting rollers. In the region of the unfolded portions of wire there is provided a device for slowing the advancement of the wire.