LibGuides: Where Does Our Stuff Come From?: Home

Step 1: Find Out What It's Made Of

How can you find out what materials your item is made of? If your item is an article of clothing, it will probably have a label listing the materials. But what if the item you have chosen is not clothing and has no tag?

The resources below will help you find out what it is made of.

How Stuff Works
Founded by Professor Marshall Brain, North Carolina State University, this handy, fun site includes information about the inner workings of everyday items, such as Inside a Cell Phone. Try searching for your item in the box at the top right.
How Products Are Made
Explains and details the manufacturing process of a wide variety of products, from daily household items to complicated electronic equipment and heavy machinery. The site provides step by step descriptions of the assembly and the manufacturing process (complemented with illustrations and diagrams). Try searching for your item in the search box at the top left, or use the alphabetical index links.