Question

What is a cottage industry ?

Answer 1

A small, loosely connected activity for commerce in goods usually produced by individuals or small groups.

Explanation:

The term originated from the use of personal homes (cottages) as the manufacturing venues, as opposed to dedicated factory facilities. Some of them eventually evolved into larger factory-based enterprises.

For example, baking, iron smithing, beer production, cobbling and seamstressing were all cottage industries. All of them have large industrial components now (Baking, Foundries, Breweries, Leather Works and Textiles). Specialists or small shops continue to exist in many forms and places around the world.