Editing Putting-out system (section)

{{short description|Cottage industry}}

{{redirects|putting out|the slang term|human sexual activity|the extinguishment of fires|active fire protection#Fire extinguisher}}
{{cleanup|reason=A clearer distinction of the historic domestic system from contemporary practices of Freelancing and Subcontracting, and Work-From-Home is necessary for broad public understanding.|date=August 2021|talk=Contemporary World - Difference to Freelancing??}}{{use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}

The '''putting-out system''' is a means of [[Subcontractor|subcontracting]] work, like a tailor. Historically, it was also known as the '''workshop system''' and the '''domestic system'''. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the project via [[remote work]]. It was used in the [[England|English]] and American textile industries, in [[shoemaking]], [[Lock (security device)|lock]]-making trades, and making parts for small firearms from the [[Industrial Revolution]] until the mid-19th century. After the invention of the [[sewing machine]] in 1846, the system lingered on for the making of ready-made men's clothing.<ref name="Taylor 1951">{{cite book|title=The Transportation Revolution, 1815–1860|last=Taylor|first=George Rogers|year=1989|publisher=Rinehart & Co. (reissued: Sharpe)|orig-year=1951|location=New York|isbn=978-0-87332-101-3}}</ref>

The domestic system was suited to pre-urban times because workers did not have to travel from home to work, which was quite unfeasible due to the state of roads and footpaths, and members of the household spent many hours in farm or household tasks. Early factory owners sometimes had to build dormitories to house workers, especially girls and women. Putting-out workers had some flexibility to balance farm and household chores with the putting-out work, this being especially important in winter.

The development of this trend is often considered to be a form of [[proto-industrialization]], and remained prominent until the [[Industrial Revolution]] of the 19th century.

At that point, it underwent name and geographical changes. However, bar some technological advancements, the putting-out system has not changed in essential practice. Contemporary examples can be found in China, India, and South America, and are not limited to the textiles industry.