Trained craftsmen (rarely women) joined guilds, which set the standards and prices for their work. There were over 20 craft guilds in Bristol in the 1400s. These included the cordwainers (shoemakers), weavers, dyers, bakers and coopers (barrel makers).

The rules of the different guilds were written in the Little Red Book of Bristol, a record of the laws, liberties and customs of the city to ensure that they were never forgotten. Often the Guilds had petitioned the mayor to approve the rules in order to protect their craft and its trained members against untrained men who were undercutting their prices or producing shoddy work - but also to keep down the wages of their employees. The Black Death of 1348 and other pan-demics had killed many people, thus reducing the number of workers available and allowing those left to demand higher wages. The rules usually set rates for work that favoured the employer.