From mega-factory floors, engineering laboratories and seaports to distribution hubs, supermarkets and our own homes, embark on an eye-opening guided tour through the world of manufacturing and its transformational influence on our lives - and the planet.

A WATERSTONES, FT and TELEGRAPH BOOK OF THE YEAR
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2025 FINANCIAL TIMES & SCHRODER BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR

FEATURING A NEW AFTERWORD

'Revelatory.' SUNDAY TIMES
'Fascinating.' THE TIMES
'Intensely readable.' IRISH TIMES
'Well-observed and enjoyably written.' FINANCIAL TIMES

Unless you are floating naked through space, you are right now in direct contact with multiple manufactured products, be it furniture, technology, clothing, and or even food. The processes by which these things appear in our lives are virtually invisible. How often do we stop to think: Where do the things we buy actually come from?