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 20 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Kylie McConnell @barnbarroch_organic, from Dumfries and Galloway, is an organic beef farmer seeking to create a circular ‘farm to fashion’ economy by using hides from her own cattle. Her bursary will fund a blend of leather skills courses and training, including time spent at @walsallleatherskillscentre and @armitageleather.
Kylie’s bursary is supported by @theleathersellers.
Kylie said: “I’m an organic beef farmer in south-west Scotland. My goal has been to utilise as much of our beautiful animals as possible to produce traceable leather products – from our farm to fashion. I want people to feel more connected to their leather goods. Thank you to Heritage Crafts and the Leathersellers’ Company for this training bursary. This will enable us to learn from the best and to create beautiful leather products from our own hides.”
Join us in conversation with bee skep maker @chrischarlespark, online on Wednesday 8 July 2026, 7pm (GMT+1)
Join us for a captivating evening with Chris Park, leading authority on bee skeps and traditional apiculture. A master craftsman, skep beekeeper and apitherapist (using bee products for health), Chris lives and breathes the ancient relationship between humans and honeybees.
For years, Chris has kept these vital skills alive, teaching skep-making for the British Beekeeping Association, the National Honey Show and heritage groups across the country. His work sits at the very heart of cultural preservation; with no full-time commercial skep makers left in the UK, the craft is listed on the Heritage Crafts Red List. Beyond the hive, Chris is a true polymath with a deep-rooted passion for ancient technologies, eco-building, folk music and traditional arts and crafts.
The evening also celebrates the launch of Chris’s highly anticipated new book, Bee-Skep Making: heritage, folklore and how to make and use your own skeps (published by @herbert.press). He will share insights from the book, diving into the step-by-step practicalities of working with straw and the folklore, superstitions and history that have surrounded the craft for centuries.
The session will take place on Zoom and attendees must register in advance via https://chrisparkinconversation.eventbrite.co.uk or the linktree in our bio. Attendees will also have the opportunity to submit questions in advance.
Over 20 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Steve Farrell, from Carmarthenshire, served for 22 years in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and has a background in bespoke furniture upholstery. His bursary will fund a part-time foundation course at the @walsallleatherskillscentre alongside essential tools, leather and travel costs, allowing him to master traditional leatherworking and sewing machine techniques.
Steve’s bursary is funded by the Royal British Legion.
Steve said: “Having this funding at 56 is a great opportunity. It will significantly fasttrack my leatherwork skills and give me the ability to start making higher quality leather products and incorporate a wider skillset of techniques taught at the Leather Skills Centre in Walsall.”
A huge thank you from everyone at @heritagecrafts for a wonderful @craftfestival
To our incredible demonstrates, holding the beacon for what you do, answering questions, showing your skill and raising awareness of our intangible heritage.
Thank you to our speakers for taking the time to share more about what your practice and why it matters.
Thank you to the team for being all hands on deck.
We had a blast, and captured some lovely stories that we can’t wait to share with you.
What was your favourite part of Craft Festival?
#craftfestival #heritagecraft #boveytracey
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Heritage Machinery Conservation Internship
Deadline: 1 July 2026
Location: Manchester
Are you curious about how things work? Interested in history, engineering, conservation or making? Want to build hands-on skills while working with incredible historic machinery?
This is a unique opportunity to begin a career in heritage conservation by working with the Science and Industry Museum’s collection of historic textile looms.
This internship will help preserve and restore machines that tell the story of Manchester’s industrial past, whilst developing valuable technical and conservation skills for your future career.
As a Heritage Machinery Conservation Intern, you’ll work alongside experienced technicians, conservators and museum professionals to help care for and conserve historic textile machinery.
Find out more including how to apply at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/matchmaker.
#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.
Over 20 posts we are profiling the recipients of our recent round of training bursaries.
Ame Stevens, from Bristol, has spent the last nine years working as a shipwright and joiner, primarily focused on the conservation and restoration of traditional fishing vessels. Their bursary will fund a nine-month training programme focused around instrument cases, including one-to-one tuition with @warriner.leather focusing on traditional tub making, short courses with @armitageleather in saddle stitching and bag design, and essential tools and materials.
Ame’s bursary is supported by @theleathersellers.
Ame said: “I am really excited to receive the training bursary, to both have the opportunity to receive some one-to-one tuition with skilled craftspeople, and invest in my tools as I develop my leatherworking practice.”
#matchMAKER opportunity!
Production Trainee (ceramics)
Location: Ironbridge Gorge, Shropshire
Craven Dunnill Jackfield is one of Britain’s most respected ceramic tile manufacturers, with over 150 years of heritage producing high-quality wall and floor tiles for architectural, restoration and design projects throughout the UK and beyond. They are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Production Trainee to join their team at their Jackfield factory.
This is a development role designed to provide comprehensive training across all areas of our manufacturing operation. No previous experience is required. They are looking for someone with a positive attitude, a willingness to learn and an interest in developing practical skills within a unique manufacturing environment.
This is an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in traditional ceramic production techniques while learning from experienced craftspeople and production specialists.
Find out more including how to apply at https://heritagecrafts.org.uk/matchmaker.
#matchMAKER is the online platform for work-based training and entry-level employment opportunities hosted by @heritagecrafts and supported by @soanebritain.
Congratulations to craft recipients in the King’s Birthday Honours, including:
• Dr Diana Springall MBE, for services to arts and crafts (pictured)
• Mark Boddington MBE @silverliningfurniture, for services to design and innovation in furniture making (pictured)
• Agnes McCullough MBE for services to the art of lacemaking and needlecraft in Northern Ireland
• Caterina Googhart MBE, for services to conservation and heritage crafts
• Cefyn Burgess BEM, for services to arts and crafts
• Sandra Choi OBE @jimmychoo, for services to fashion
