A new era of manufacturing requires a new kind of store
The maker movement and collaborative consumption are changing the way we think about bringing great design to people who are passionate about great products.
The internet and mobile phones have made it possible for us to buy anything, anywhere with a click of a button.
Great design has the ability to improve people’s lives. However we have been forced by the age-old promises of economies of scale to accept that in order for us to pay an acceptable price the sofa in our living room needs to be the same as anyone else’s. By doing so not only have we lost touch with the artisans but also supported a model whereby those who make and create receive less value for their creations.
So while product designers have been the driving force behind innovation in tech (think iPhone) their role in bringing innovation to every day objects have been hampered by the old constrains of the *design* industry.
It used to be that Designers would design, makers make, brands market, and retailers sell. This would cut down the value of *design* to a mere 5% royalty fee that the designer would be left with and generate as an end result products that are mass produced and overpriced.
Not only does this model hampers innovation but also creates a divide between creators and consumers (refer to the illustration below to see how this plays out).
Digital manufacturing & collaborative consumption are changing the game.
Digital manufacturing — 3D printing, more affordable CNC milling machines, etc. — and the internet are the driving technological forces behind a change that could quite possibly be as significant as the Industrial Revolution, change that will allow makers to experiment on, prototype and iterate their own creations in ways that were previously impossible.
In the meantime as consumers we have been educated by pioneering platforms such Airbnb and Zipcar to exchange skills, time and financial support with one another.
Over the last few years, Kickstarter and Indiegogo paved the way in enabling makers from around the world to validate their product ideas prior to taking them to production.
By doing so thousands of projects have been financed by a network of common-people (like you and me) who believed in the entrepreneur’s vision and showed their support with their wallet.
It is fair to say that without Kickstarter and Indigogo products like Kano the computer anyone can make would have not existed.
Design Crowdfunding has the power to change the game by enabling personal manufacturing for everyday objects
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So how does this concept of connecting makers and buyers apply to everyday design objects? How do you take the creativity of designers around the world and turn that into products that make it to our living room in a way that is unique and personal ?
The era of just-in-time design straight from the maker
With Milkster, we are further advancing the model pioneered by Kickstarter and Indiegogo by kicking off the era of ”just-in-time design”. In this case, “just in time” means that everything you order is produced for you by its designer in his/her workshop.
Think of us as that place where you can find items of exceptionally well-crafted design created just for you by professional artisans.
What you get is a product with a story.
For instance, Ingo Schppler and Jonas Schwarz set out to create everyday useful objects employing a new material — one that would be both durable and recyclable. The result of their experimentation is the Schwarzes Gold Lamp, something that would have been impossible to create if they had followed the traditional route to manufacturing.
“There’s nothing like this on the market. We never thought we’d find a brand that would follow our intuition.”
When you choose a product on Milkster, your order is forwarded to the maker of that product who then manages its production in their workshop.
We’ve cut out the middleman by connecting consumers directly with professionally designed and made items .
By supporting such a maker, you will be involved from creation to delivery, and you’ll get a product with a story — a story that you’ll be a part of.
During our pre-beta we have on boarded exceptional makers from 20 countries (UK, US, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Japan, Mexico to name a few) who are as excited as us to bring their unique creations to an international audience.
