Marketplace’s mass-produced, 3D-printed products are never exactly the same

Dyo is a marketplace that offers 'artisanal' mass-produced items that each feature individual design quirks and can be customized by the consumer.

3D printing has for a while been touted as a game changer in mass production, and we have already seen how the technology can be applied to consumer-facing business — for example, the Netherlands’ Zazzy platform, which lets customers design their own jewelry. Now a new marketplace called Dyo offers ‘artisanal’ mass-produced items that each feature individual design quirks and can be customized by the consumer.

Currently focusing on jewelry, Dyo features a range of necklaces, pendants and rings that are designed on a computer and created using 3D printing techniques. However, during the printing process, the design is altered in a very small way that ensures that no one product is the same as another, offering an artisanal or hand-made quality to the mass produced items. For example, each part of Dyo’s dual ‘broken’ obelisk pendant connects with its partner, but not any other piece in the same range. Additionally, customers can also customize the message and typeface that appears on each product and pick the material they want it to be made of.

Dyo offers a glimpse into the way the future of retail may be affected by 3D printing. Could your business take advantage of personalization through the technology?