As the 3D print revolution gathers momentum, more designers are exploring how the technology will transform how we make products in the future.

One of the most exciting effects is how 3D printing could change distribution – even eliminating it altogether. Rather than make an object in one location, which is then delivered to consumers around the world, blueprints could be designed and sent to local manufacturers – even people's home – where the object would then be made.

Belgian design studio Unfold showed a project called Stratigraphic Manufactury at Istanbul Design Beinnial that explores this future of making. The designers created digital blueprints for vases and bowls, which were then distributed to local manufacturers around the world. These local makers then printed out the objects in porcelain using their own open-source 3D printers.

The resulting items were gathered for the show. Interestingly, due to idiosyncrasies in the distributed digital files, many had small flaws not too dissimilar to those you’d expect to see in the surface of a handmade object.

We’ll be discussing how 3D printing is set to change our relationship with product design at our Future of Making Forum next week. It’s now fully booked (sorry to those who missed out on a ticket!) but keep an eye out for the highlights which we’ll publish online in a couple of weeks.