Mastro de Paja are formed by the expert and highly capable hands of craftsmen. The briar used in the making of pipes is obtained from the "Erica Arborea", a plant widely distributed in many parts of the Mediterranean area. Mastro de Paja, after careful research, has chosen the best briars of the Mediterranean for its pipes. Successively, only the highest quality and most resistant briar is selected for the working. The successive phases, the squaring off of the blocks of briar, the design, the modelling and the finishing and curving of the mouthpiece require the gifts of ability and precision, and the creative sensitivity. Before the final phase of working, the pipes are carefully selected at the Mastro de Paja. The pipes judged perfect are carefully hand-tinted, polished and branded. Once finished, and once again selected with extreme rigor, they may finally be presented to the public.