**3.7 Moving from global to local production**

Mass customization is characterized by customer-centric production, competitive cost of manufacturing, and timely delivery of finished goods. In this scenario, to facilitate maximum flexibility in production and short product development cycles, manufacturing base has to be moved away from mass-scale offshore production centers to more local-based manufacturing [33]. The current offshore production system brings not only an environmental cost, but also a social cost. Cheap labor, poor working conditions, low wages, and extended working hours are among the key social impacts of the current system. The absence of environmental regulations allows these developing nations to use hazardous chemicals which are banned in EU countries and to continue water and land pollution by releasing both effluent and solid waste to the environment without proper treatments.

Shifting manufacturing operations back to the countries where majority of the consumption is taking place can reduce the extensive environmental and social damage caused by the global supply chain. Local production has to be adhered to the country-specific environmental regulations and labor laws. This helps the consumer to understand the impact of their consumption behaviors to their environment and the society. Moreover, local production facilitates better control of production and quality, better working conditions, short lead times, and local employment opportunities and reduces the cost and emissions associated with global scale transportation.
