The French had held a protectorate over Morocco since the Treaty of Fez in 1912 and were engaged in pacification and occupation of much of the country through military operations such as the Zaian War.

[6] They considered that the height of the craft industry had passed with modern items showing a decline in quality of design, raw materials, pigmentation and skill of the craftsmen.

[6] Encouraged by examples of work produced by Moroccan children in the new grammar and vocational schools (displayed at the fair by the General Administration of Public Instruction), the French authorities believed that a new generation of craftsmen could be trained at such establishments.

[6] They subsequently ran adult education programmes and apprenticeship schemes at the schools, in which Moroccans were taught to copy older examples of craftware collected by French specialists.

[6] Two "Inspection Offices of the Native Craft Industry" were established at Fes and Rabat with attached museums and workshops to serve as centres for new Moroccan craftware production.