selfmanufacture

Self-manufacture is the practice of producing goods or services by an individual or household for personal use, rather than purchasing them from external suppliers. It encompasses a broad range of activities, from simple repair and modification to fabricating new items using manual methods, power tools, or digital fabrication technologies. It is distinct from professional manufacturing and commercial production.

Historically, most households produced basic goods such as foods, textiles, and tools out of necessity; later, industrialization specialized production away from homes. In recent decades, DIY culture and the maker movement have popularized self-manufacture, leveraging platforms, open-source designs, and consumer-grade fabrication tools like 3D printers and CNC machines to enable customization and learning.

Common domains include clothing and textiles, furniture and carpentry, electronics and hardware, food and fermentation, repairs, upcycling, and prototyping new designs. Techniques range from sewing and woodworking to 3D printing, laser cutting, PCB milling, and traditional handcrafts.

Potential benefits include cost savings, tailored fit or design, skill development, resilience, and reduced dependency on supply chains. Limitations include time and labor costs, initial equipment investment, safety and quality risks, regulatory or warranty considerations, and occasionally limited access to scale or professional-grade capabilities.

In contemporary ecosystems, self-manufacture is supported by community workshops, online tutorials, and open-source resources, which lower barriers to entry and facilitate knowledge sharing.