Maximum card issue "Vanishing Professions - embroidery" 

Catalogue number: 5503 
Issue date: 29-04-2026 

In a world that is changing faster than ever, traditional crafts are becoming invaluable testimonies of history, skills, and the everyday life of past generations. Professions that only recently were an integral part of villages and small towns are gradually disappearing, replaced by mass production and modern technologies.

The philatelic issue “Vanishing Professions” recalls trades whose foundation was manual labor, time‑consuming craftsmanship, and knowledge passed down from generation to generation. Each profession represents not only a technique, but also a story about life, the relationship between humans and nature 🌾, patience, precision and respect for the work of human hands.

Preserving the memory of these occupations is a vital element of protecting intangible cultural heritage. Although many of them are fading away with the pace of modern life, they still survive in museums 🏛️, archives, and in the hands of passionate practitioners who cultivate traditional skills.

The issue presents four traditional crafts illustrated through archival and contemporary photographic materials, supplemented with details of finished products and characteristic tools of the trade. Each profession is distinguished by a separate color field and title:

Basketry (Wickerwork) 🧺

Wire Craft 🔧

Lace‑making 🪡

Embroidery 🧵

The layout harmoniously combines black‑and‑white documentary photography with colorful close‑ups of handcrafted items, forming a visual narrative of the creative process — from raw material to finished object.

Embroidery – beauty stitched into thread 🧵

One of the oldest forms of textile decoration, known since ancient civilizations such as Egypt and China. It involves decorating fabric using needle and thread. Common techniques include cross‑stitch, flat stitch, Richelieu, and bead embroidery.

In Poland, important embroidery centers include Podhale, Kashubia and Kurpie, known for their distinctive regional patterns.

Wire Craft – mastery of repair 🔧

Originating in Central Europe, particularly Slovakia, where it developed in the 18th century. Initially used for repairing household vessels, it later evolved into a form of applied art. Techniques include wrapping, twisting and weaving wire.

In Poland, wire craft traditions are mainly associated with the Carpathian regions, including Podkarpacie and the Tatra area.

Basketry – the strength of nature in human hands 🧺

A craft with prehistoric origins, using natural materials such as willow, straw and reed to make baskets, mats and containers. Techniques include cross weaving, spiral and rib weaving.

Well‑known basketry centers in Poland include Rudnik nad Sanem (the “capital of Polish wickerwork”), as well as Mazovia and Greater Poland.

Lace‑making – delicacy woven into thread 🪡

Developed in Europe in the 16th century, especially in Belgium and France. It involves creating openwork patterns by hand using thread. The main techniques are bobbin lace and needle lace, requiring exceptional precision and patience.

In Poland, notable centers include Koniaków (crocheted lace) and Bobowa (traditional bobbin lace).

The graphic materials used in the philatelic issue “Vanishing Professions” and its accompanying materials come from the collections of:

The Historical Museum in Bielsko‑Biała, the Ethnographic Museum in Kraków, the National Museums in Kraków, Szczecin and Warsaw, the National Digital Archives, PAP S.A., FORUM Polish Photographers’ Agency, and the company Polskie Plecionkarstwo.