A MATERIAL INVESTIGATION

CATEGORY · POSSIBLE CONSTRUCTION

Metal key / hardware

The material branch is provisional. Keys and hardware may use brass, steel or other alloys; metal appearance is insufficient.

What is it made of?

These are material branches to check against the object’s label or specification.

Steel: SteelRead the material guide

2 sources behind this section

worldsteel · the steelmaking processWorld Steel Association EPA · common recyclablesUS Environmental Protection Agency

The material branch is provisional. Keys and hardware may use brass, steel or other alloys; metal appearance is insufficient.

04 · THE JOURNEY TO YOUR HAND

A journey leaves clues.

A factory, distributor and retailer can each leave records. A country mark narrows the geography; a receipt narrows the purchase. Neither proves a shipment route.

Made inRead the origin markingUser-reported; factory unverified

Here nowAdd a city or region belowUser-reported; route unverified

Evidence to look for

Material / resin / fibre label
Brand, model and batch marking
Country-of-origin marking
Receipt or purchase record
Manufacturer or supplier documentation

Inputs → components

Supplier deliveries and component factory records

Assembly → distribution

Batch, export and warehouse records

Retail → your hand

Seller, receipt and delivery record

Explore trade contextTrade flows describe markets, not this object’s shipment.

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Add details from your objectMarkings and receipts strengthen the investigation.

Brand / modelCountry marked on itWhere is it now?

These notes stay in this browser tab and are included in evidence downloads. Journey links share your selections, without these notes or your photo.

Opening this view…

A journey leaves clues.

A factory, distributor and retailer can each leave records. A country mark narrows the geography; a receipt narrows the purchase. Neither proves a shipment route.

Made inRead the origin markingUser-reported; factory unverified

Here nowAdd a city or region belowUser-reported; route unverified

Evidence to look for

Material / resin / fibre label

Brand, model and batch marking

Country-of-origin marking

Receipt or purchase record

Manufacturer or supplier documentation

Inputs → components

Supplier deliveries and component factory records

Assembly → distribution

Batch, export and warehouse records

Retail → your hand

Seller, receipt and delivery record

Explore trade contextTrade flows describe markets, not this object’s shipment.

Metal key / hardware

What is it made of?

A journey leaves clues.

Evidence to look for

Choose a material

Find a material, place or operation

Metal key / hardware

What is it made of?

A journey leaves clues.

Evidence to look for