# Local Manufacturing Platforms This Store Connects International Designers with Local Artisans By Katherine Pendrill | Published 2016-02-12 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/local-manufacturing References: [fastcoexist](http://www.fastcoexist.com/3056450/this-italian-store-matches-international-designers-with-local-artisans?partner=rss) & [slowd.it](http://www.slowd.it/en/) 'Slow/D' is an Italian brand that supports local manufacturing by putting designers in touch with artisans in the area. With more consumers interested in buying locally made products, this brand helps to give consumers a greater selection of products to choose from. Slow/D supports local manufacturing by giving local artisans the opportunity to create products designed by others. To use the service, designers simply upload their designs and a series of photos. When a consumer chooses a particular design, the order is sent to a local fabricator. This means that instead of shipping a product from halfway around the world, artisans simply produce and ship the item locally. The Slow/D model not only helps support small businesses, but it also eases the strain on the plant thanks to decreased transportation. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.1/10 - Popularity: 68% | Activity: 78% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Local Manufacturing:** The trend of local manufacturing is disrupting traditional supply chains by connecting designers with local artisans. - **Designer-artisan Collaboration:** The trend of designer-artisan collaboration creates opportunities for designers to have their designs produced by local artisans, enabling a greater selection of locally made products. - **Sustainable Consumption:** The trend of sustainable consumption is driving the demand for locally made products, reducing the strain on the planet by decreasing transportation. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Fashion:** The fashion industry can adopt the local manufacturing platform to allow designers to collaborate with local artisans for producing their designs, offering consumers a wider range of locally made fashion products. - **Home Decor:** The home decor industry can benefit from local manufacturing platforms by connecting designers with local artisans, providing consumers with unique and locally made home decor items. - **Product Design:** The product design industry can explore local manufacturing platforms to facilitate collaboration between designers and artisans, enabling the production of innovative, locally made products. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Timeless Knit Apparel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mudana-clothing.md) - [D2C Artisan Marketplaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/artisan-marketplace1.md) - [Sustainable Furniture Capsule Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/light-and-dwell.md) - [Contemporary African Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/daily.md) - [AI-Powered Fashion Design Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/make-the-dot.md) - [AI-Driven Wholesale Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hypedrop.md) - [Artisanal Craftsmanship-Exploring Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/artisanal-concept-store.md) - [Global Digital Marketplaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/r-finds.md) - [Innovative Textile Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/textile-production.md)