The Artisans of Traditional Crafts and Their Challenges

Artisans like Martin and Pieter strive to preserve traditional crafts, but face challenges as their skills fade and younger generations seek different paths.

### Preserving Centuries-Old Craftsmanship: Artisans of Wooden Clogs, Indonesian Noodles, and Sea Salt
* 🇳🇱  In the Netherlands, Martin Dijkman is one of the few remaining clog makers, using **traditional techniques passed down through generations** in his family's 100-year-old business.
* 🎨  Pieter Bootsma, one of the last clog painters in the country, continues the Hindeloopen-style decorative painting on clogs, a tradition dating back **centuries**.
* 🍜  In Indonesia, Salijo and his team at a small factory in Bantul produce mie lethek, a traditional noodle made from cassava root, following a process that has been **largely unchanged for decades**.
* 🧂  In the Philippines, Nestor Manongas and his family revive the traditional method of making **asin tibuok**, a natural sea salt, using coconut husks and clay pots in a process dating back to the **17th century**.
* 🥁  The Zildjian cymbal company, founded in the 17th century in Turkey and now based in the US, continues to handcraft cymbals using a **secret alloy** and **traditional techniques** passed down through **15 generations**.
* 🎨  The Maison du Pastel in Paris, run by Isabelle Roche, preserves the art of handcrafting pastels, a tradition dating back to the 19th century, with a **wide range of over 1,900 colors**.
* 🌍  These artisans face challenges in passing on their craft to the next generation, as younger family members often choose different career paths, and **changing market demands threaten the viability of traditional production methods**.
* 👩‍🎨  Despite these challenges, these artisans are committed to preserving their craft, often citing a **sense of duty to their family's legacy** and a **passion for their work** as driving forces.

### From Pastels to Cheese: Preserving Traditional Crafts in a Changing World
* 🎨  Pastels, once overshadowed by oil paints, are making a comeback as artists like Isabelle Roche **revive century-old techniques with new pigments**.
* 🧀  In the Netherlands, Frank Captein continues his family's 150-year tradition of making Gouda cheese, using **raw milk and traditional methods**.
* 🌿  Environmental challenges in the Netherlands, such as **nitrogen pollution from dairy farming**, are forcing changes in the industry.
* 🏭  The Dutch government is implementing measures to reduce ammonia emissions, including potentially **closing high-emission farms near nature reserves**.
* 🌍  Similar challenges are faced by dairy farmers in other countries, such as **Ireland, New Zealand, and the US**.
* 👗  On Savile Row, Kathryn Sargent carries on the bespoke tailoring tradition, becoming the **first female master tailor** on the famous street.
* 🇬🇧  Traditional crafts like bespoke tailoring are evolving, with more women entering the field and **breaking gender stereotypes**.

### High-End Craftsmanship: From Wagyu Beef to Tourbillon Watches, Sardinian Pasta, and Korean Inkstones
* 🐄  Hiroki, a Matsusaka wagyu farmer, raises cows for **30-32 months**, with some reaching **35-40 months**, to achieve the **prized marbling**.
* ⌚  Remy Cools, a French watchmaker, spends a month making each tourbillon watch, with **50 of the 200 total parts dedicated to the tourbillon mechanism**.
* 🍝  Luca, a Sardinian pasta maker, creates su filindeu, a pasta with **256 hair-thin strands**, maintaining a tradition passed down through generations.
* 🪨  Hyuk-su, a Korean artisan, handcrafts Sangsan jaseok inkstones, a laborious process involving **chiseling, polishing, and engraving**.
* 🍶  Maiko, a Japanese sake brewer, produces 20 different sakes, focusing on **quality and tradition** in a market dominated by **cheaper options**.
* 🔪  Subandi, an Indonesian keris maker, follows a centuries-old process of **folding and hammering metals** to create the **iconic daggers**.
* 🎨  Vincent, a contemporary calligraphy artist, appreciates the craftsmanship of inkstones, connecting with the **artistry and tradition** they represent.
* 🌍  These artisans represent a dedication to traditional craftsmanship, often facing challenges in **passing down their skills to future generations**.

15 Jobs That Take A Lifetime To Master | Business Insider Marathon

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Craftsmen like Martin, a fourth-generation clog maker, and Pieter, a clog painter, are dedicated to preserving rare professions that take a lifetime to master.

Martin's clog-making process involves carving and shaping wood, using tools passed down for generations, while Pieter's painting technique has been taught within his family for decades.

Both artisans have diversified their businesses to survive, but the future of their crafts remains uncertain as they approach retirement and their children do not plan to take over the family business.

The Traditional Noodle and Salt Production in Bantul

The noodle production process involves cutting dough into cubes, steaming, grinding, and shaping, with the final step done by a machine.

The factory, opened in the 1970s, provides jobs to the community and is one of only two left in Indonesia making mie lethek traditionally.

The salt production involves chopping coconut husks, burning them for a week, and filtering seawater to create a salty brine, with the business being restarted in 2010 to preserve the family tradition.

The Art of Salt Production and Its Challenges

Salt production involves a long process using heat-resistant seashell ladles, with workers cracking pots to reveal the salt after cooling overnight.

The ASIN law in the Philippines, requiring iodization, has devastated small-scale producers, leading to a drop in national production and increased imports.

Artisanal salt producers, like Nestor and Nengah, rely on tourism and online sales, but face challenges from competition and unpredictable weather, making it difficult to find the next generation of producers.

Zildjian cymbals are shaped through a meticulous process, starting with cutting the metal, followed by hammering, lathing, and testing for imperfections.

The company's founder, Avedis I, established the business in 1623 in the Ottoman Empire, and it has since thrived for centuries, with the family now in its 14th generation.

Zildjian has played a crucial role in the evolution of cymbals for jazz and rock music, working closely with legendary drummers and musicians to develop custom models tailored to their styles.

The Legacy of Zildjian Cymbals and Maison's Pastel Sticks

Omar has been using Zildjian cymbals for nearly five decades, working with iconic artists and setting the standard in the industry.

The next generation of Zildjians is already involved in revitalizing the business and continuing the family legacy.

Meanwhile, at the Maison, Isabelle and Margaret are using a secret formula to create a vast selection of pastel sticks, blending colors and using traditional techniques to meet the needs of pastel artists.

Reviving a Historic Business and Crafting Cheese

Isabelle took over a struggling pastel business from her great aunts, focusing on regenerating supply and collaborating with artists for color creation.

The business serves a niche market, and Isabelle's unique approach, along with her inherited pigment archive, has led to the successful revival of the pastel colors.

Meanwhile, Frank continues his family's 150-year-old cheese-making tradition in the Netherlands, using raw milk and traditional methods to produce Gouda in-house, while also ensuring that nothing goes to waste in the process.

The Impact of Dairy Farming in the Netherlands

Frank slices curds for cheese, using old wooden buckets, while the dairy industry's nitrogen emissions harm local ecosystems.

The Netherlands has cut ammonia emissions from farming, but protests and political changes have complicated efforts.

Frank's farm, with a long family tradition, plays a key role in the country's dairy production, which is a major exporter of meat and dairy in Europe.

Challenges and Innovations in the Dutch Dairy Industry

Frank, a dairy worker, expresses concern about the future of farming in the Netherlands due to tough regulations and financial struggles.

Many farmers are facing difficult decisions, with some registering for government buyouts as they wait for financial support.

The dairy industry's challenges are not unique to the Netherlands, as other countries also grapple with the impact of dairy farming on the environment and water pollution.

Waterford's crystal making process involves wooden and steel molds, with a team of four artisans hand-blowing the glass.

The company has transitioned to a lead-free formula for durability and heat resistance.

Master cutters use diamond-tipped wheels to create intricate designs, while Waterford also offers custom art pieces and has made notable creations for high-profile clients, including the British royal family.

The Bespoke Suit-Making Process in London

Tailors in London offer 2,000 fabrics and create each suit from a unique paper pattern.

The process begins with a consultation to understand the client's needs, followed by meticulous measurements and pattern cutting.

The suit is then crafted through a series of fittings and adjustments, using high-quality fabrics, with the goal of creating a lasting garment.

The Art of Tailoring and Matsusaka Wagyu Farming

George, a skilled presser in Savile Row, emphasizes the importance of attention to detail in garment pressing, with a legacy of 60 years of experience.

Kathryn, the first female head cutter and master tailor on Savile Row, has seen an increase in women aspiring to join the craft, challenging the gender norms in tailoring.

Hiroki Ito, a third-generation Matsusaka wagyu farmer, uses a unique feeding and raising process to achieve the intense marbling of his cows, with the auction of these cows becoming a legendary event in the industry.

The export quota for Matsusaka's premium cuts has surged from 24 in 2022 to 700 in 2024, targeting high-end restaurants.

The tourbillon mechanism in watches, designed to counteract gravity, is highly sought after and significantly increases the watch's cost due to its complexity.

Remy Cools, an independent watchmaker, is meticulously crafting 36 tourbillon watches over three years, using precision machining and manual techniques to create the intricate components.

The Art and Tradition of Su Filindeu Pasta

Su filindeu, a sacred dish from Nuoro, Sardinia, is made from a simple dough of semolina flour, water, and salt, but its preparation is complex and time-consuming.

The dish's traditional making process involves forming 256 thin strands of pasta, layered on a wicker base called a fundu, and has been practiced for generations during celebrations for St.

As the tradition faces decline, Luca and Rob are working to keep it alive by teaching others and bringing su filindeu to restaurants outside of Sardinia.

The Art of Sake Brewing in Northern Okayama

Northern Okayama's Gozenshu Brewery, operating since 1804, uses the unique Omachi rice to create its signature sake.

Maiko, the seventh-generation brewer, employs a traditional method of using naturally occurring yeast for fermentation, setting her apart from competitors.

Despite the declining demand for sake in Japan, Maiko's focus on quality and tradition has resulted in a growing customer base, with 10% of her sales now coming from international buyers.

Hyuk-su collects red stones for his inkstones in Jincheon, South Korea, avoiding air-exposed and cracked stones.

The crafting process is labor-intensive, using only hand tools, and involves sawing, chiseling, and polishing the stone to perfection.

Hyuk-su's hand-made inkstones, made from the rare Sangsan jaseok, are valued for their functionality and the artisan's meticulous attention to detail, aiming to revive the traditional craft in contemporary calligraphy.

The Art and Tradition of Keris Making in Java

The keris dagger, with a history dating back to the ninth century, is a significant symbol of Javanese culture and spirituality.

The forging process involves intricate rituals, intense heat, and a laborious layering of iron and nickel to create the blade's unique pattern.

With the demand for authentic keris daggers growing, the tradition is at risk of disappearing due to a lack of qualified artisans, but efforts are being made to pass on the skills to the next generation.