What's New

In September 2015, we announced Etsy Manufacturing – a place for Etsy designers like you to find the perfect production partner to scale your creative business. Today, we launched Projects, a new tool to help guide you through the process of working with a manufacturer. Now, you’ll be able to send more detailed descriptions about your production needs to help manufacturers make faster, more informed decisions. Manufacturers will receive structured information about your project, such as a project description, quantity needed, projected budget, and timeline.

The Projects tool is designed to help you find a manufacturer who shares your values and is excited to work with independent designers. You can search by specific production process, product, materials and location to find a partner whose capabilities and practices align with your business needs.

Our goal is not only to provide more structure to the project inquiry process, but also to help foster long-term relationships between you and the manufacturer.

How it Works

You can continue to search for partnerships on Etsy Manufacturing by selecting the industry, processes, materials, and products you’re looking for, along with your location preference. Once you locate a manufacturer you’d like to contact, create a project by clicking the “Contact manufacturer” button in the top right of the manufacturer’s profile.

As you create a project you will be able to include details such as project title, project description, which part or parts of the production process you need help with, and an attachment with a sketch or photo. You’ll also be asked the quantity needed, your target manufacturing cost per item, and the fulfillment date. Once this information is complete, you’ll have the option to either save it for later or submit it to the manufacturer.

You’ll also have a Project Dashboard where you can view the status of current projects, as well as old and cancelled projects. You can re-use any of these projects to create new projects, rather than entering all of the same information again.

More Information

At this time, Etsy Manufacturing includes manufacturers located in the United States and Canada. We’re continually adding new manufacturers, so be sure to check back regularly if you haven’t yet found your fit!

Keep in mind that designers who use outside manufacturing help to produce items must apply for outside manufacturing approval prior to listing the items for sale on Etsy.

To learn more, read our guide to building creative production partnerships. If you’re not ready to reach out to a manufacturer yet, but are interested in learning more about how manufacturing works, click here to view our educational resources.

What’s Next

We plan to continue exploring new ways to further support the growth of relationships between manufacturers and designers. Stay tuned for more information, and in the meantime, visit Etsy Manufacturing to learn more about how to grow your business with manufacturing assistance.