# Microproduction

May 26, 2009

Microproduction is a term coined by Jessica Hasson (who helps us with our PR) that describes the larger movement that Shapeways is a part of.

People expect more from products and they want more control over what they purchase. This is where micro production, the process of producing items on a small on-demand scale rather than in mass, can deliver.

1. **Flexibility to Customize.** Ecommerce is bracketed by methods of mass customization. Producing on a smaller scale allows companies to give their users options when it comes to making their unique item. Today’s consumers do not want to buy one of 100,000; they want to have something unique. Ecommerce sites that can offer options and flexibility in customization are experiencing an uptick in sales.

2. **Shorter Shelf Life.** Most companies that deal in storing product know that inevitably you have boxes of dinged, nicked, broken or unsellable merchandise. Moreover, the gap between production and sale can be a long wait and it is estimated that 7-8% of all merchandise will be damaged. With micro production, items are only made as needed, reducing the costly expense of reparation.

3. **Reduced Startup Costs.** Services like Shapeways.com, allow users to individual unique products at a low-cost, without the high overhead of mass production. This allows smaller start-up companies or large companies to stay competitive by only creating the amount of product they need.

4. **Less Waste, More High Quality Products.** No longer is micro production expensive and cumbersome, with plastics and metals printing between 1.29 USD and 3.50 USD per cubic centimeter – individual production of items is the key to tapping into the long tail with high-quality products and less waste overall in production.

5. **On the Cutting Edge of Technology.** Micro production is a technology that will constantly be changing and improving, making for a boom in e-commerce as new technologies are introduced and faster, easier methods are brought to everyday consumers.