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This paper presents an integrated literature review on how the environmental sustainability of distributed production is studied in a variety of disciplinary sources. The notion of distributed production suggests an alternative to mass production that differs in scale, location and consumer-producer relationship. Understanding its environmental implications (and thereby dematerialization potential) is regarded pertinent and timely. Key themes in the review included how distributed production can promote product longevity and closed material loops, as well as localizing production. New and closer ties between producer and consumer seemed central discussions but were underdeveloped with regard to sustainability potential. Empirical work was seen especially in research on additive manufacturing processes, while the bulk of the studies were conceptual explorations with little testing in the real world as yet. This affirms the emerging nature of the topic and points to a clear need for more (and more diverse) empirical research. The review summarizes the opportunities for greater environmental sustainability as well as potential threats that could serve to guide and improve these novel practices today. It sets the stage for 'distributed production' to be examined as its own phenomenon by proposing how it can be characterized and suggests that a research agenda could build upon the work initiated here.

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Distributed manufacturing is rapidly proliferating to citizen level via the use of digital fabrication equipment, especially in dedicated "makerspaces". The sustainability benefits of citizens' personal fabrication are commonly endorsed. However, to assess how these maker practitioners actually deal with environmental issues, these practitioners and their practices need to be studied. Moreover research on the environmental issues in personal fabrication is nascent despite the common perception that the digital technologies can become disruptive. The present paper is the first to report on how practitioners assess the environmental sustainability of future practices in this rapidly changing field. It does so through an envisioning workshop with leading-edge makers. The findings show that these makers are well able to envision the future of their field. Roughly 25% of the issues covered had clear environmental implications. Within these, issues of energy use, recycling, reusing and reducing materials were covered widely by environmentallyoriented participants. In contrast, issues related to emerging technologies, materials and practices were covered by other participants, but their environmental implications remained unaddressed. The authors concluded there is a gap between different maker subcultures in their sustainability orientations and competences. Further research on the environmental aspects of real-life maker practices and personal fabrication technologies now could help avert negative impacts later, as the maker phenomenon spreads. This knowledge should also be directed to developing targeted environmental guidelines and solutions for personal fabrication users, which are currently lacking. Potential also lies in seeking to enhance dialogue between pro-environmental and new-technology-oriented practitioners through shared spaces, workshops and conferences.

Fab Labs, fabrication laboratories, are shared workshops where citizens can access digital fabrication equipment to design and make their own objects. They are proliferating rapidly and represent an alternative to mass production and consumption, an ideology whose environmental and social benefits their "makers" like to espouse. A longitudinal ethnographic study in a Fab Lab in a European design school examined the Lab's ideology building, how ideals were enacted and where compromises were visible. Environmental issues were intertwined with other ideological concerns, but they were rarely promoted in their own right. Engagement with sustainability-oriented makers and stakeholders is recommended.