What describes the production period when goods were handmade rather than mass produced?

The period characterized by handmade goods rather than mass production is known as the Domestic System. This system, also referred to as the putting-out system, involved the production of goods in individual homes or small workshops, where artisans and craftsmen made products by hand. This method was prevalent before the Industrial Revolution, which shifted production to larger factories with machinery capable of mass-producing goods.

During the Domestic System, families would often participate in the production process, with workers receiving raw materials from merchants, who would later sell the finished products. This system allowed for skilled craftsmanship and personalized goods but was eventually overshadowed by the efficiencies introduced by the factory system.

The Factory System, in contrast, involved industrial factories where machinery and laborers worked together to produce goods on a massive scale. While the Commercial System relates to the trade and distribution of goods, and the Craft System involves skilled tradespeople but does not specifically indicate the home-based production characteristic of the Domestic System, it is the Domestic System that directly describes the era of handmade goods.