It feels like everyone needs a side hustle these days. If your hobby can help make you some extra income, it seems like a no-brainer to at least try and do it. 3D printing, laser engraving and using vinyl cutters like the famous Cricut machine all give you a chance to make something beautiful, unique and sellable. Etsy has been the storefront of choice for almost 20 years, and despite other options being available, it still boasts 8.13 million active sellers in 2025, according to a recent Contimod report.
Recently, the company has clarified its policies surrounding the "Made by a Seller" category, specifically relating to "items produced using computerized tools." The updates are subtle but could fundamentally change the way a lot of small businesses operate moving forward.
Are all of these the same dragon, or are they different enough to be unique? Etsy/Screenshot: James Bricknell/CNET
If you've ever searched for 3D-printed dragons on Etsy, you will likely have seen a screen like the one above. While each dragon looks very similar -- they are all articulated with little to no painting -- no two are the exact same. Almost all of the dragons you will see have been made by a small group of designers who license their digital models out to the Etsy seller, who use small print farms, or even single 3D printers, to print the physical model for sale. Etsy's latest update to its company policy around computerized tools has removed a key component that allowed for this type of licensing, leaving many sellers confused as to where they stand.
Items produced using computerized tools: Physical items that a seller produced in their personal shop or home, using computerized tools such as a laser printer, 3D printer, CNC or Cricut machine. These items must be produced based on a seller’s original design and are often personalized or customized to a buyer’s specification.
An Etsy spokesperson told me that the above policy has always been Etsy's standard position on products that are made by sellers. The area I have added emphasis to is the part that has been edited. Originally, the Etsy guidelines included the phrase "...or using a templated design or pattern..." which seemed to allow for the use of designs from 3D modelers. By removing this section and keeping the part about the original design, it seems to say that each seller must design the digital file themselves, as well as print it out, post-process it and ship it out.
Etsy has said this update in policy is to clarify its position, rather than change it. According to the creative guidelines, an item that doesn't qualify is "A commercially available base item with only superficial alteration, such as addition of a simple, mass-produced stick-on adornment." The sticking point seems to be the "commercially available" part, as a lot of 3D print sellers on Etsy use a commercial license from 3D modelers as a source to create physical models.
The business of 3D printing
Patreon/Screenshot: James Bricknell/CNET
3D modelers that sell commercial licenses through sites like Patreon, Thangs, and Printables have sprung up over the last few years, to much success and accolades across the 3D printing space. Christian, or CraftyKid3D, as he is known on Patreon and social media, creates 3D models based on books and reading, including beautiful dragon bookends and small book holders to help you hold your paperbacks open. His Patreon has a commercial license tier that allows you to sell physical copies of his digital models online or at craft fairs and farmers' markets. He currently has 860 Patreon subscribers, whose $10 per month subscriptions make up a significant portion of his income.
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