Call it a sign of the times: technology is not only allowing designers to quickly produce items as needed, it's also enabling more consumer participation in the creative process.
At Finland-based firm Freedom of Creation (FOC), founder Janne Kyttanen builds on 3-D printing techniques used at the start of the design process and invites browsers to order what they want via a virtual store, before making the products.
For Kyttanen, the process is as much about the rejection of traditional production methods as enabling consumer power. It also cuts down on unwanted stock, assembly and transport.
A model from FOC's current collection is the Gaudi Chair made of carbon fibre and glass-filled nylon.
Dutch designer Bram Geenen sent his computer-aided blueprint to FOC, which then turned the image into furniture. The spidery-looking work, inspired by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi's inverted arcs, has a strength that isn't obvious until you sit in it.
Another company encouraging collaborative creativity is Ponoko, which bills itself as an online marketplace for people who want to click their way towards personalised goods.