cottage industry
Small-scale home manufacturing
A cottage industry is small-scale manufacturing done at home rather than in factories—historically, weaving or crafts performed by families in their cottages.
The term now applies broadly to any small, home-based business: Etsy has spawned a cottage industry of handmade jewelry sellers.
Figuratively, it describes any informal sector that springs up around a subject: a cottage industry of conspiracy theories.
Very small-scale commercial venture
- self-employedWorking independently, not hired
- small-scaleLimited in size or scope
- bootstrappingSelf-starting without external input
- solopreneurSelf-employed business owner
home-based · Etsy · marketplace · direct sales · piecework · outwork · freelance · commission
Interlacing strands into fabric
- potteryFired clay objects
- woodworkingCraft of shaping lumber
- embroideryDecorative stitching on fabric
- quiltingLayered fabric stitching
knitting · leatherwork · blacksmithing · carpentry · glassblowing · ceramics · basketry · lacemaking
Farm with residence
- handloomManual weaving apparatus
- spinningRevolving around an axis
- beekeepingMaintaining hives for honey
- dairyingMilk production industry
husbandry · threshing · millinery · winemaking · distilling · cobbling · thatching · smithy
Created manually, not mechanically
- bakingCooking with dry heat
- jamsCooked fruit spreads
- preservesCooked fruit in sugar
- soapmakingProducing cleansing bars
candles · canning · cheesemaking · homebrewing · pickling · felting · patchwork · upcycling
microenterprise
Very small-scale commercial venture
- self-employedWorking independently, not hired
- small-scaleLimited in size or scope
- bootstrappingSelf-starting without external input
solopreneur · home-based · Etsy · marketplace · direct sales · piecework · outwork · freelance · commission · consignment
weaving
Interlacing strands into fabric
- potteryFired clay objects
- woodworkingCraft of shaping lumber
- embroideryDecorative stitching on fabric
quilting · knitting · leatherwork · blacksmithing · carpentry · glassblowing · ceramics · basketry · lacemaking · beadwork
farmstead
Farm with residence
- handloomManual weaving apparatus
- spinningRevolving around an axis
- beekeepingMaintaining hives for honey
dairying · husbandry · threshing · millinery · winemaking · distilling · cobbling · thatching · smithy · loom
handmade
Created manually, not mechanically
soapmaking · candles · canning · cheesemaking · homebrewing · pickling · felting · patchwork · upcycling · breadmaking
- industrializationfactory, factories, manufacturing, urbanisation, assembly lines
- Artisan-stylehomemade, handmade, artisanal, small-batch, craft
- business typesbig business, business, corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership
- homesteadinghomesteading, self-sufficiency, off-grid living, off-grid, chicken coop
- pre-industrial lifefarming, agriculture, handicrafts, traditional methods, manual labor
- small businesssmall business, sole proprietor, owner, mom-and-pop, startup
cottage industrymass production
Large-scale standardized fabrication
factory production · industrial manufacturing · heavy industry · big business · multinational corporation
cottage industryfactory system
Centralized mechanized production method
assembly plant · corporate headquarters · industrial park · production line · sweatshop
cottage, industry, industrial, craftsman, cottages, industries, handcrafted, industrialist, industrialized