image for illustration: Scotland – Fiona Newton
The Red List of Endangered Crafts, first published in 2017 by Heritage Crafts, has been updated for 2025.
Heritage Crafts writes:
The Red List of Endangered Crafts, first published in 2017, was the first report of its kind to rank traditional crafts by the likelihood they would survive to the next generation, based on intangible cultural heritage safeguarding principles, and led by Heritage Crafts, the only UK UNESCO-accredited NGO working primarily in the domain of traditional craftsmanship. The list attracted extensive media coverage both in the UK and abroad, shining a light on heritage craft practices under threat from a number of identifiable issues.
Heritage Crafts is committed to updating the list on a regular basis, and so, with support from the Pilgrim Trust, over 900 organisations and individuals were contacted directly by email and telephone and invited to contribute to the research between September 2024 and May 2025. Participants were asked to provide background information about each craft, such as its history, techniques and local forms, as well as current information relating to the number of skilled craftspeople and trainees, and the ongoing issues affecting the viability of the craft, including the effects of the current energy crisis.
Each craft was then classified into one of four categories of endangerment using a combination of both objective criteria (such as numbers of crafts people and trainees) and subjective criteria (issues affecting the future viability of the craft). Issues affecting the viability of heritage crafts vary on a craft-by-craft basis, though many can be grouped, and possible solutions devised to help many crafts practices become more viable.
- 285 crafts now feature in the research, up from 259 featured in 2023.
- No new crafts have become extirpated (extinct in the UK) since 2023.
- 72 crafts are listed as critically endangered, up from 62 featured in 2023, including nine new entries and three re-classifications from other categories.
- 93 crafts are listed as endangered, up from 84 featured in 2023, including eight new entries and six re- classifications from other categories.
- 115 crafts are deemed currently viable, up from 112 in 2023. Despite being classified as viable, these crafts are not risk-free or without issues, and will continue to be monitored.
Mary Lewis, Head of Craft Sustainability said ‘Behind every entry are stories of extraordinary people. It is their passion, resilience and quiet determination that give this work its meaning.’ She went on to say that ’As we mark ten years since the launch of the Red List of Endangered Crafts, it is a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come. What began as a bold and ambitious idea has grown into a respected, sector-defining resource. In its early days, the Red List challenged a perception that traditional crafts were little more than nostalgic or whimsical pursuits. It reframed them as vital expressions of cultural heritage, economic activity and identity. It has provided policymakers, funders, educators and advocates with the data and stories needed to take action. It has also brought visibility to crafts that might otherwise have faded quietly from view, and inspired a new generation of makers to learn, revive and reimagine these skills. Alongside this, Heritage Crafts has grown into a powerful voice for the craft sector. Through research, partnership building and advocacy, we have worked to ensure that craft is seen not just as a creative endeavour, but as a living, evolving part of our shared cultural landscape.’
‘The Red List has been central to this mission; and now, with the launch of the Heritage Craft Inventory (see pages 16 and 17), we are extending our commitment even further. This new approach will allow us to embed our Red List work within a broader representation of craft today – from the critically endangered to the resurgent, and from the locally distinctive to the globally connected. As in previous editions, the Red List presents a deeply mixed picture of the state of traditional crafts today. While some continue to thrive, many are under growing threat from the pressures of an unforgiving economic climate. In 2023, we highlighted the difficult and often heartbreaking choices that craftspeople were being forced to make simply to earn a minimum wage. Sadly, over the past two years, this situation has only deteriorated, leaving the future of many skilled trades hanging in the balance. Rising operational costs, a lack of structured training and mounting market pressures are placing unsustainable strain on crafts that depend on expert hand skills. Trades such as cut crystal glassmaking, pewter working, organ building, industrial ceramics and the allied trades that support silversmithing are examples of those that are becoming vulnerable.’
‘At the same time, however, heritage craft is emerging as a powerful force in sustainability and cultural resilience. Skills such as flax processing are being rediscovered as a viable source of textile fibre, showing how ancient knowledge can find new relevance in a modern world. And craft is increasingly recognised as a vital expression of cultural identity. From Ukrainian pysanky egg decorating to canal art, heritage crafts offer communities accessible and meaningful ways to engage with their histories, skills and traditions. As I reflect on this year’s Red List and a decade of documenting endangered crafts, I’m struck not only by the challenges we face, but by the astonishing diversity and breadth of skill that exists across the UK. Behind every entry are stories of extraordinary people. It is their passion, resilience and quiet determination that give this work its meaning. It has been a privilege to meet so many of them through this process – and it is their voices, their hands and their stories that continue to inspire the work we do at Heritage Crafts.’
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