cottage industry

American  

noun

1. the production, for sale, of goods at home, as the making of handicrafts by rural families.

2. any small-scale, loosely organized industry.

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cottage industry British  

noun

1. an industry in which employees work in their own homes, often using their own equipment

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Etymology

Origin of cottage industry

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Gorka’s path to the White House began in the cottage industry of self-styled terrorism experts that sprang up after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2026

"Yes, I do worry a bit, especially because there's now a whole cottage industry of companies that try to make a big buck and make it even simpler to install OpenClaw," he said.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Strange, considering the medium made true-crime and horror storytelling into a viable cottage industry.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

An entire cottage industry of startups and consultants has emerged to help retailers and brands ensure their products appear in AI search results, a field called Generative Engine Optimization.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Daniel and Moses thought they were paying a courtesy call on a cottage industry, but the cottage was a castle.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis