The Traditional Basketry Project began in 2007 in response to growing concern that traditional British basketry techniques were at risk of being lost. As the need for baskets in everyday working life declined due to industrial changes and cheaper alternatives, many of the skills associated with them also started to disappear. These traditional techniques underpin much of our craft today, and their influence continues to be seen in many modern baskets.
The Basketmakers’ Association encourages its members to seek out and document local baskets, with the aim of recording regional styles and techniques. Members are encouraged to carry out their own research into baskets that interest them to help feed the project. Through this active member research, the Traditional Basketry Project collects and preserves knowledge about basket and chair seat traditions from across the British Isles, ensuring these skills endure.
In 2019, a partnership was formed between The Basketmakers’ Association, Heritage Crafts, The Worshipful Company of Basketmakers and the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL). This collaboration carried out the first UK-wide survey of endangered basketry skills and traditional techniques.
In 2020, this partnership produced the Endangered Baskets Report, which offers a framework for promoting and preserving heritage basketry skills. Its findings continue to inform the direction of the project.
If you would like to become involved with any aspect of the Traditional Basketry Project, please contact [email protected].
In 2024, the project was celebrated through the national exhibition Basketry: Rescuing, Reviving, Retaining, which featured work from more than 60 makers and highlighted the importance of protecting traditional skills. The exhibition has now concluded, but its impact continues to shape the project’s direction.
A new British Basketry website is currently in development, where information and records collected by the Traditional Basketry Project will be shared. It will also include content from The Basketmakers’ Association Archive, helping to make these techniques and histories more accessible and widely understood.
