How Stuff Is Made (HSIM) is a visual encyclopedia that documents the manufacturing processes, labor conditions and environmental impacts involved in the production of contemporary products. It is a free, independent, academic resource published by engineering and design students, who research and produce summative photoessays describing these conditions of creation. Academic faculty are responsible for ensuring that appropriate standards of evidence are upheld, and guide the students in collaborating with interested manufacturers. HowStuffisMade (HSIM) reconsiders engineering / design education as fundamentally connected to the social and political constraints, organizational innovations and global context that inform manufacturing decisions.