why are they called cottage industries 
cottage industries may be the original remote work system they opened a way for people living in rural areas before the industrial revolution to make a living doing labor intensive jobs such as spinning wool tanning leather and sewing clothing they were often subcontractors in modern terminology finishing goods and sending them on to businesses that packaged them for shipment to suppliers and retailers this work was predominantly done in cottages in europe and america primarily by women who didn t have access to other trades or professions 