高要編(bian)織主要分為花(hua)席與洋(yang)籃,就是著(zhu)名的金渡(du)花(hua)席編(bian)織技藝(yi)、新橋洋(yang)籃編(bian)織工藝(yi)。
高要(yao)(yao)草席(xi)(xi)(xi)的(de)生(sheng)產始于(yu)明朝,編(bian)(bian)(bian)織(zhi)草席(xi)(xi)(xi)的(de)蒲草自福建傳入高要(yao)(yao),引種(zhong)于(yu)金渡(du)、白(bai)土、蓮塘等地。蒲草具有莖細、柔軟(ruan)、堅(jian)韌等特點,有“賽龍須”之美譽。蒲草曬干(gan)后,經(jing)過挑選(xuan)、舂(chong)平、漂洗、染色,方可編(bian)(bian)(bian)織(zhi)。初以(yi)編(bian)(bian)(bian)織(zhi)蒲包(bao)為(wei)主,后改為(wei)編(bian)(bian)(bian)草席(xi)(xi)(xi)。草席(xi)(xi)(xi)又分(fen)(fen)為(wei)白(bai)席(xi)(xi)(xi)和花(hua)席(xi)(xi)(xi)兩(liang)種(zhong),白(bai)席(xi)(xi)(xi)是用(yong)本(ben)色草編(bian)(bian)(bian)織(zhi)而成(cheng),花(hua)席(xi)(xi)(xi)則(ze)采(cai)用(yong)染色草和本(ben)色草交(jiao)叉編(bian)(bian)(bian)制(zhi)。自清中(zhong)(zhong)葉(xie)國外染料傳入金渡(du),便產生(sheng)花(hua)席(xi)(xi)(xi)。新中(zhong)(zhong)國成(cheng)立后一度成(cheng)為(wei)高要(yao)(yao)最(zui)大(da)宗(zong)的(de)手(shou)工(gong)業,高峰時年(nian)(nian)收(shou)購量達(da)200多(duo)萬張。花(hua)席(xi)(xi)(xi)分(fen)(fen)十個級別、十二種(zhong)規格。1958年(nian)(nian),國家主席(xi)(xi)(xi)劉少奇到東南(nan)亞(ya)各國訪(fang)問時,曾把金渡(du)花(hua)席(xi)(xi)(xi)作為(wei)禮品饋贈(zeng)給外國友(you)人。
高要洋籃又叫花(hua)(hua)籃,始創于(yu)清光緒(xu)年(nian)(nian)間,相傳(chuan)由新(xin)橋竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)器工(gong)(gong)匠鄧福(fu)首創。新(xin)中國成(cheng)立后(hou)(hou)(hou),私人(ren)生(sheng)產(chan)的竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)織(zhi)行業逐步(bu)過渡(du)到集體經營。1958年(nian)(nian)新(xin)橋150個(ge)生(sheng)產(chan)隊中有(you)(you)142個(ge)開展竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)器編(bian)織(zhi),從(cong)業人(ren)員(yuan)1.1萬(wan)人(ren),占總人(ren)口(kou)的23%。改革開放后(hou)(hou)(hou),洋籃花(hua)(hua)色(se)品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)不斷增加,生(sheng)產(chan)向規(gui)模化、現代(dai)化方向發展。1982年(nian)(nian)曾(ceng)派出溫志強(qiang)、溫定(ding)先等人(ren)赴(fu)哥倫比亞傳(chuan)授編(bian)織(zhi)技(ji)術。1987年(nian)(nian)全鎮有(you)(you)編(bian)織(zhi)工(gong)(gong)藝廠(chang)15家,其中以珠(zhu)江工(gong)(gong)藝廠(chang)和珠(zhu)江文明廠(chang)規(gui)模較大(da),產(chan)值均(jun)在百萬(wan)元(yuan)以上(shang)。直到九十年(nian)(nian)代(dai)讓位于(yu)規(gui)模更(geng)大(da)的聯發工(gong)(gong)藝有(you)(you)限公司,產(chan)品從(cong)竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)、藤織(zhi)品向鐵、木、芒、柳(liu)、樹葉等多(duo)元(yuan)化方向發展,品種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)由過去(qu)的100多(duo)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)增加到1800多(duo)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)編(bian)藝人(ren)精心選擇上(shang)等的新(xin)橋竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)、河臺竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)或廣寧竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu),然(ran)后(hou)(hou)(hou)刮青開邊,曬(shai)成(cheng)蠟黃(huang)色(se)后(hou)(hou)(hou),破成(cheng)粗細均(jun)勻、厚薄一致的竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)片和竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)絲。根據需要,有(you)(you)的保持竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)子本身自然(ran)色(se)澤,有(you)(you)的還需要涂上(shang)硝(xiao)酸(suan),畫成(cheng)花(hua)(hua)紋,或染色(se)加工(gong)(gong)。竹(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)(zhu)編(bian)工(gong)(gong)藝大(da)體可分(fen)起底(di)、織(zhi)身、插花(hua)(hua)、燒花(hua)(hua)、噴漆、絞口(kou)等工(gong)(gong)序(xu)。在經緯編(bian)織(zhi)的基(ji)礎(chu)上(shang),還可以穿插各種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)技(ji)法,如疏(shu)、插、穿、削、鎖、釘、扎、套(tao)等,使編(bian)出的圖案(an)花(hua)(hua)色(se)變化多(duo)樣。