3DExpress: Etsy Tightens Rules on Selling 3D Printed Goods

Do you consider a 3D printed object handmade? The online global marketplace Etsy sells unique items that are “unique items made, designed, handpicked or sourced,” but the website hosts many 3D print shops selling mass-produced, unoriginal designs. To address this, the company has put a new policy in place. After reading about the policy change, you can read about Farsoon’s new metal 3D printer, a new 3D printed shoe with an skeleton design and more!

Etsy Updates Creativity Standards, Tightens Rules on 3D Printed Goods

Etsy has revised its Creativity Standards this week, introducing stricter rules for 3D printed products. According to the update, all 3D printed items sold on the platform must now be “based on a seller’s original design and are often personalized or customized to a buyer’s specification.” This marks a shift from Etsy’s previous policy, which allowed 3D print sellers to use templated designs or patterns created by others. The change aligns with Etsy’s mission to “Keep Commerce Human” by promoting “original items from real people.” However, the platform has yet to clarify how it plans to enforce the new policy. The update is expected to have significant implications for sellers who rely on mass-produced prints from large-scale farms using third-party STL files. The move has caused a stir within the 3D printing maker community, and while the long-term impact on sellers remains to be seen, it’s clear that Etsy is redefining what counts as “handmade” in the age of digital manufacturing.

3D printed products available on Etsy. (Photo Credits: Top left: 3DSideShow. Bottom Left: 3DPrintEngine. Right: PotsAndPetalsDesign)

A New Metal 3D Printer

Manufacturer Farsoon, which specializes in the development of industrial 3D printers, has just unveiled its latest innovation: a metal 3D printing solution called FS621M-Cu, designed for applications with copper alloys. It is a large-format machine featuring four 1,000 W lasers to ensure print stability and reliability, given the difficulties that copper can pose, given its reflectivity. The manufacturer claims that the FS621M-Cu is designed for complex aerospace applications, and it is used by a player in this sector. One thing’s for sure: copper is a material that’s becoming increasingly popular in additive manufacturing.