One of the most exciting prospects of 3D printing is how it will democratize industries that are less accessible. This includes a lot of niche products. With niche products we mean those that don’t have a mass market appeal but do have a select, dedicated audience big enough to keep them going.
This article is speculative and is trying to imagine a world where 3D printing is a typical household convenience. Therefore, the article will be full of ‘what ifs?’ and futurist star-gazing. Here are some industries of rather selective interest that might see a boom thanks to 3D printing:
Out of Production Computer or Retro Console Parts
Let’s say you have a ton of old-school tech lying around (I know I do). The only reason you’re not using it anymore is that one tiny bit is broken. You’ve checked the web and that one minuscule part is out of production. You could check the web for a file or perhaps the company has put out an stl its own. Or perhaps a well-meaning samaritan has an open-source repair guide to suit your needs.
You could potentially bring your old NES or Sega Genesis back to life. Maybe you’re a fan of old-school gaming or love retro computers. There is already a prevalent market for retro tech. Additionally, people can already 3D print fake replicas of consoles that can visually pass as real. So, it stands to reason this can be a thriving industry that could take advantage of the 3D printing market.
You may not even have to travel over to a shop to get repairs done. Any discerning consumer could perhaps open up a Youtube tutorial and fix their own computers. All you’d need is a force of will and a 3D printer.
Fashion, Cosplay and Tailoring
I was struggling with whether I can include fashion as a ‘niche’ interest. Therefore, I might have to stress that I mean DIY fashion. Not everybody makes their own dresses or takes part in cosplay. Yet, self-styling gets tons of interest on the net and cosplay rakes in loads of money. However, they can both be immensely laborious and thus making people reluctant to take it up. Tailoring and making your own clothes is also time-consuming, not to mention the monetary investment. So perhaps we can see people delegating these creative endeavours to household printers.