Craft status
The Heritage Crafts Red List
Drawing on the conservation status system used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist, 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.
Extinct in the UK
Crafts classified as ‘extirpated’ or ‘locally extinct’ are those which are no longer practised in the UK. For the purposes of this research, this category only includes crafts which have become extinct in the past generation.
Critically Endangered
Crafts classified as ‘critically endangered’ are those at serious risk of no longer being practised in the UK. They may include crafts with a shrinking base of craftspeople, crafts with limited training opportunities, crafts with low financial viability, or crafts where there is no mechanism to pass on the skills and knowledge.
Endangered
Crafts classified as ‘endangered’ are those which currently have sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation, but for which there are serious concerns about their ongoing viability. This may include crafts with a shrinking market share, an ageing demographic or crafts with a declining number of practitioners.
Currently Viable Crafts
Crafts classified as ‘currently viable’ are those which are in a healthy state and have sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. They may include crafts with a large market share, widely popular crafts, or crafts with a strong local presence. A classification of ‘currently viable’ does not mean that the craft is risk-free or without issues affecting its future sustainability/viability.
Heritage Crafts Inventory
The 2025 edition of the Red List of Endangered Crafts marks a significant evolution in how we understand and safeguard traditional crafts.
This year, we introduce the Heritage Craft Inventory – a new, inclusive framework that ensures all heritage crafts, regardless of their current status, have a place where they are recognised and valued under one umbrella. This expanded approach allows us to shine a light not only on endangered and critically endangered crafts, but also on those that are resurgent, culturally distinctive, or rooted in specific communities and regions. It reflects the dynamic landscape of craft today – one that is constantly evolving and shaped by both challenges and opportunities.
Culturally distinctive crafts
Crafts designated as ‘culturally distinctive’ might have a broad uptake across the UK, but hold a particular significance for a defined community of practice, whether that is geographic, cultural, ethnic or religious. Those that are also on the Red List are known as ‘crafts in need of cultural safeguarding’.
- Canal art and boat painting (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Cornish hedging (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Fair Isle Knitting
- Fair Isle straw back chair making (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Fairground art (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Gansey knitting
- Harris tweed weaving
- Islamic calligraphy
- Northern Isles basket making (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Orkney chair making (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Petrakivka (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Pysanky (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Sgian dubh and dirk making (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Shetland lace knitting
- Shinty caman making
- Sofrut calligraphy
- Sporran making (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Thatching (Irish vernacular) (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Thatching (Scottish vernacular) (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Thatching (Welsh vernacular) (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Vardo and living wagon crafts (craft for cultural safeguarding)
- Welsh double cloth weaving (craft for cultural safeguarding)
Resurgent crafts
Crafts designated as ‘resurgent’ are currently experiencing a positive trajectory as a result of an upswing in new entrants. Just because a craft is considered resurgent does not mean that it cannot also be endangered, but rather that its decline has started to reverse and that its situation is likely to continue improving.
Latest Red List stories
Craft skills remain under threat with 20 new additions to the Red List of Endangered Crafts
Nine more grants to help save endangered crafts
Craft skills under threat with 17 additions to the Red List of Endangered Crafts
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Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
Noah Staley-Mathews oopswrongtimeperiod, from Nottinghamshire, is a 15-year-old home-educated maker with a deep passion for historical weapons and armour, having produced several helmets, shields and swords for buhurt combat. His bursary will fund 38 weeks of bi-weekly one-to-one masterclasses with professional armourer Matthew Finchen of @lancasterarmoury, alongside specialist workshop equipment.
Noah’s bursary is supported by Malcolm and Rosalind Gammie.
Noah said: “This funding will allow me to begin my career and train with a Master Armourer, and I am incredibly grateful to Heritage Crafts for helping my dream become a reality. My friends are going off to college, but I wanted to take a different route, and this grant has given me the opportunity to do that. Practising my craft is really positive for my mental health, so I am very grateful to be able to move forward in this direction and build a future doing something that I love. Thank you Heritage Crafts and Mr and Mrs Gammie!”
Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
Polina Volochay, from Glasgow, has a background in film and television costume and has gained hands-on boatbuilding and rigging experience through voluntary work on traditional vessels. Her bursary will fund an apprenticeship-style placement in Shetland with sailmaker @sew_far_north to construct a mainsail for a Baltic schooner, tuition for a traditional sailmaking course with @sailmaker_shiner at @uhiorkney, and a heavy-duty portable walking foot sewing machine.
Polina’s bursary is supported by the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation.
Polina said: “Receiving this award from Heritage Crafts is incredibly meaningful for me. I’m excited for the dedicated time I’ll have to practice my craft and the quality of teaching I’ll be able to access as a result of their support. I am looking forward to becoming a part of the enlivening and resilient use of traditional skills!”
Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
Olumide Emmanuel Faleti (Minuel), from Renfrewshire, is the founder and creative director of footwear brand @minuel.uk and leads the @oefinitiative, an educational craft project. His bursary will help fund his place on the Complete Shoemaking and Footwear course at the @londonfashioncollege, mastering core pattern cutting, closing, lasting and construction processes.
Minuel’s bursary is funded by the Capri Holdings Corporate Foundation.
Minuel said: “Securing this funding is a significant step forward in my shoemaking journey. It will give me the opportunity to develop my traditional shoemaking skills through specialist training, strengthen my craft practice and help me contribute to keeping these important skills alive for future generations.”
Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
Emmaly Crimmel @crimmelemmaly, from Swansea, is an MA Glass student at @glass_swansea_college_of_art with a background in fine art, drawing and wood crafts. Her bursary will fund specialist glass painting, engraving and conservation masterclasses with leading practitioners @jonathancookestainedglass, @zoe_boulton_glass, @tracey.sheppard_, @derekhuntartist and @rachelphillipsglass, as well as essential traditional tools.
Emmaly’s bursary is supported by the Ashley Family Foundation.
Emmaly said: “The funding gives my work in stained glass greater depth and purpose by providing access to specialist training and tools. Learning directly from incredibly talented craftspeople who inspire me, alongside having access to specialist tools in my own studio, will help me shape a practice that is truly my own. More than anything, this bursary transforms ambition into reality.”
📷 @zoe_boulton_glass
Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
David Bimudu Scott @bimu_woodcrafts, from Brighton, has a background in law and education, currently completing the first year of fine furniture making at the @buildingcraftscollege. His bursary will fund tuition and essential hand tools for his second year of study on the Level 3 Fine Furniture Making programme.
David’s bursary is supported by the @cityandguildsfoundation.
David said: “This funding will help me grow as a furniture maker, giving me the space and time to explore creatively and develop my skills.”
Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
Laura Kriefman @laurakriefman, from Devon, is an established leaded stained glass artist who is expanding her practice into glass blowing and bending. Her bursary will fund intensive workshops and mentoring with four neon specialists, including Amy Zachariah and Bill Horwood @southwalesneon, @hoarp and @vivid.neon.sweden, reviving neon sign making in the South West.
Laura’s bursary is supported by the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation.
Laura said: “I am humbled to receive this support. This funding will make a dramatic difference to my ability to learn how to make neons, and to explore combining it with my stained glass work. Without this funding I would not be able to pursue such a focused and deliberate period of learning and mentorship. I can’t wait to see how my skills develop.”
📷 @sylvaindeleuphotographer
Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
John Allison, from Hertfordshire, has spent over two decades in the British Army and public service and has developed self-taught leatherworking and repair skills. His bursary will fund his place on the Worshipful Company of Saddlers Level 1 programme at @capelmanor and one-to-one training with Jacquie Lawson at the @autointerioracademy.
John’s bursary is supported by the Royal British Legion.
John said: “This bursary means an awful lot to me. It will give me the opportunity to develop the traditional leatherworking and restoration skills I need to turn a long-standing passion for preserving historic objects into a sustainable craft practice and, in time, pass those skills on to others.”
📷 @walsallleatherskillscentre
Over 35 posts we are profiling the recipients of our latest round of training bursaries.
Alex Hawes @alexhawes_embroidery, from Surrey, combines fashion, embroidery and costume making. She has a long-term vision to establish a unique costume house that foregrounds embellishment and embroidery, and will mentor future craftspeople. Her bursary will fund an intensive costume making course at the @themanchesterschoolofcostume.
Alex’s bursary is supported by the Capri Holdings Corporate Foundation.
Alex said: “With the support of a Heritage Crafts, I am training as a costume maker at the Manchester School of Costume. This, in addition to my existing practice as a hand-embroidery artist, will give me the confidence and connections to work in the UK film and TV industry as an embellisher/maker.”
