Why values come first
We are building something that depends on trust between people who may never meet: a customer, a creator, a local merchant, a materials supplier and a delivery partner. Technology can connect them. Only shared principles can keep that connection fair.
These are the values we have chosen. For each one, we explain what it means in practice and the lines we will not cross. They apply to us today, while our vision is still taking shape.
1. Ideas travel, opportunity stays local
Designs should move freely through a network. The making, and the value that comes with it, should happen close to the people who need it. We want local merchants, not distant factories, to be the heart of the network.
In practice: we design roles so that local businesses keep a meaningful share of the work, including production, quality checks, packaging and handover. What we will not do: treat local makers as interchangeable capacity, or design the network so that value flows away from the communities doing the work.
2. Made with care
A finished piece should be something the maker is proud of and the customer is happy to receive. Care is not a slogan; it is a sequence of checks.
In practice: in our planned order journey, each piece passes a quality check and is photographed before the customer is asked to accept it, and delivery is arranged only after acceptance. What we will not do: send items out unchecked, or rush production in ways that compromise quality.
3. Respect for creators
Every design begins with someone’s skill and imagination. That work deserves recognition and protection wherever it is made.
In practice: buying a design does not transfer its copyright, and physical printing needs the right authorisation. We intend to keep licence terms visible, preserve attribution for openly licensed work and provide a clear route for raising and reviewing concerns. What we will not do: describe anything as officially licensed unless the rights have been verified, or use other people’s brands or characters to promote ourselves. Read more on our creators page.
4. Open by design
The world does not need another closed platform that everyone must depend on. We want to build on open protocols and open standards so that many participants can take part on fair terms.
In practice: printer makers, material specialists, merchants and delivery partners should keep their own brand, their own customers and the freedom to leave. We are exploring shared, minimal standards for things like capability, orders, fulfilment events and materials. What we will not do: lock participants in, or confuse openness with a lack of standards. Open access is not unreviewed access: everyone who joins should meet clear expectations for quality, safety and honesty. See open collaboration.
Open access is not unreviewed access. Openness and high standards belong together.
5. Honest about what’s ready
It is easy to make a vision sound finished. We would rather be trusted than impressive.
In practice: we say plainly when something is planned, being explored or not yet available. We describe delivery as shorter journeys, not a promise of instant fulfilment, because printing, cooling and checking take real time. On sustainability, we treat benefits as potential and something to be measured, counting support material, failed prints, packaging, energy and logistics. What we will not do: imply live coverage we do not have, announce partners we have not signed, promise order volumes or income, or make environmental claims we cannot support. Our approach is explained in Responsible making.
6. Clear, fair responsibilities
Good partnerships depend on everyone knowing what they are responsible for, and what they are not, before they commit.
In practice: we intend to set out each role in plain language — who checks the model, who prints and inspects, who photographs and packages, who arranges delivery and who handles disputes. Where a question is still open, we will say so and settle it openly with the people affected. What we will not do: push hidden costs or risks onto merchants, creators or delivery partners, or change the terms of a role without telling the people in it.
How we use these values
We use these six values as a test. When we design a process, choose a partner or write a page like this one, we ask whether it keeps opportunity local, protects quality, respects creators, stays open, tells the truth and treats people fairly. If it does not, we change it.
We also expect the same from those who join us. Shared values make it easier to work together across different businesses, skills and cities.
Where we are today
Our network is in development. These values describe how we intend to build and operate; most of the processes mentioned here are planned rather than running, and public quotes, payment, managed printing and delivery are not yet available.
What is real today is our commitment to these principles and our wish to hear from people who share them. If you are a merchant, creator, supplier or delivery partner who works this way, we would like to talk.
