Red List Comment Submission

Commenting on: Straw hat making

Section one - About you

Name

Are you willing for your name to appear on the website as a reviewer?

Yes please
No thanks

What is your reason for contacting us?

What is your interest or experience in this craft?

Do you have any suitable images or photos to support your entry?

No I don't
Yes, please contact me about them

Please give more details of your interest or experience of this craft and any organisations, guilds or associations that you are representing.

Section two - Description of the craft

Are you commenting on an existing craft?

If you are commenting on an existing craft, please select it here and skip the next two questions

You are suggesting a new craft that is not already featured on the Red List

Please enter the name of the craft you would like us to add here.

Craft category

If this is a new craft type please select the most suitable category

Please give a definition of the craft in one or two sentences.

Where in the world is the craft historically associated?

Please identify country, region, county or town

Where in the UK is the craft currently practised?

Please identify country, region, county or town

When was the craft first practised in the UK?

Please identify an era/century/approximate historic period.

How endangered would you say this craft is?

Heritage Crafts uses a system of four categories of risk to assess the viability of heritage crafts. A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. For more information on definitions see http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/categories-of-risk/

Currently Viable (are in a healthy state and skills are being passed to the next generation)
Endangered (skills can be passed on but there are serious concerns about their ongoing viability)
Critically Endangered (there is serious risk that skills won't be passed on)
Extinct ( ‘extirpated’ or ‘locally extinct’ in the UK)

Section three - Current numbers of those practising the craft in the UK

Number of professional makers (main income)

People earning their main craft income from this craft (selling, commissions, conservation/ restoration and/or teaching).

Number of professional makers (part-time or side line to main income)

People practicing this craft commercially (selling, commissions, conservation/restoration and/or teaching) but as less than half of their income.

Number of trainees

People acquiring skills in order to become a professional in this craft, they probably have to work under supervision even if they are earning money while training.

Number of serious amateur makers

People whose knowledge and ability is at a level of the most skilled practitioners of this craft.

Number of UK leisure makers and learners

People who do not intend to practice this craft professionally or at the highest level.

Section four - Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Existing content:

Access to machines: Machines are no longer made in the UK and those that were in educational establishments have been removed.
Repair and maintenance of machines: Spare parts are not available in the UK.
Market issues: Effects of Brexit affecting European trade and import from Europe.
Competition from overseas markets: There are now only one or two people in Luton still able to machine-stitch straw and a few individual hat makers. The skills are being lost to producers in other countries.
Decline in skills: there are now only a few people left with the skills to make straw hats and few opportunities to pass on their skills.
Market issues: Rising prices for materials/supplies.
Training issues: Lack of apprenticeships/training within college courses.
Courses: Lack of availability of specific courses due to lack of machines.

Training and recruitment issues

e.g. lack of qualifications, funding for training etc.

Tick for yes