Craftsmanship

At ESA we believe that CRAFTSHIP is illustrated by diligent, dedicated, careful skilled work developed through practice and continual improvements of skills with the aim of developing mastery in one's craft and striving for perfection in products made

Why Craftsmanship still matters

"True craftsmen are honest and care about their work in a way a machine doesn't"

Producing with care is today reserved only to the honest and dedicated ones. In other words, true craftsmen. The artisan's constant pursuit of craft mastership demands time and attention. This translates in striving for ever- improving quality standards. And the beautiful thing is what comes out of that. If you have ever held a Washein hat and looked closely, you would know what we refer to. We refer to fine details for which only awe can be expressed.

On the other hand, and as we have all experienced, the pragmatic approach that artisan craftsmen take to their work always yield durable, timeless and elegant pieces. Pieces with which we all end up forming emotional connections. Being aware deep inside us that sometime, somewhere, our object was worked by someone who gave their whole attention to it, makes them connect with us at an spiritual level.

"We would all be worse off culturally if craftsmanship disappeared"

"Craftsmanship maintains ancestral knowledge and skills alive"

As the Global Alliance remind us, indigenous people have not only survived radical changes in environmental conditions but gone on to thrive and form some of the richest and largest cultures
on Earth. This cannot be achieved through intellectual capacity but only through practical wisdom. Indigenous people are substantially involved in artisan craftsmanship which preserves their ancestral heritage and offers us a gate to their culture and skills.On the other hand, the proximity with nature by which ancestral communities have lived for centuries have given them a wealth of pragmatic knowledge stranger to us. By failing to support and maintain this alive, we risk loosing knowledge related to ecological regeneration, climate adaptation, and disaster prediction. With the advent of climate change and the various industries' Climate Declarations that followed, preserving this wisdom seems more relevant than ever. One way of doing this is through the valuing and encouragement of craftsmanship.

Skilled Craftspeople...

Craftsmanship goes beyond technical proficiency. It denotes a certain attitude towards work. Novices can – and should – be trained to think and perform with ‘craftsmanlike’ dispositions.

Page updated

Report abuse