How It's Made

Have you ever wondered how the products you use every day are made? How It's Made leads you through the process of how everyday products, such as apple juice, skateboards, engines, contact lenses, and many more objects are manufactured.

Seasons

32

Episodes aired

416

Latest aired

S32E12

Total runtime

6d 1h

Timeline when each season aired

1. Season 1 January 2001 – March 2001 13 episodes
2. Season 2 September 2002 – December 2002 13 episodes
3. Season 3 October 2003 – December 2003 13 episodes
4. Season 4 January 2004 – March 2004 13 episodes
5. Season 5 September 2005 – November 2005 13 episodes
6. Season 6 January 2006 – March 2006 13 episodes
7. Season 7 September 2006 – November 2006 13 episodes
8. Season 8 January 2007 – April 2007 13 episodes
9. Season 9 January 2008 – April 2008 13 episodes
10. Season 10 May 2008 – August 2008 13 episodes
11. Season 11 September 2008 – December 2008 13 episodes
12. Season 12 January 2009 – April 2009 13 episodes
13. Season 13 April 2009 – July 2009 13 episodes
14. Season 14 September 2009 – January 2010 13 episodes
15. Season 15 March 2010 – June 2010 13 episodes
16. Season 16 October 2010 – December 2010 13 episodes
17. Season 17 April 2011 – June 2011 13 episodes
18. Season 18 September 2011 – December 2011 13 episodes
19. Season 19 April 2012 – July 2012 13 episodes
20. Season 20 November 2012 – January 2013 13 episodes
21. Season 21 April 2013 – June 2013 13 episodes
22. Season 22 October 2013 – January 2014 13 episodes
23. Season 23 April 2014 – July 2014 13 episodes
24. Season 24 September 2014 – January 2015 13 episodes
25. Season 25 April 2015 – July 2015 13 episodes
26. Season 26 September 2015 – December 2015 13 episodes
27. Season 27 February 2016 – May 2016 13 episodes
28. Season 28 August 2016 – November 2016 13 episodes
29. Season 29 February 2017 – May 2017 13 episodes
30. Season 30 September 2017 – December 2017 13 episodes
31. Season 31 May 2018 – November 2018 13 episodes
32. Season 32 February 2019 – March 2019 13 episodes

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  S01E01 Aluminum Foil, Snowboards, Contact Lenses, Bread

  January 6 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  The series premiere follows the transformation of aluminum into extremely thin household foil, the layered construction and finishing of snowboards, the precision molding of soft contact lenses, and the mixing, proofing and baking of commercial bread.

• 

  S01E02 Compact Discs, Mozzarella Cheese, Pantyhose, Fluorescent Tubes

  January 13 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Manufacturing processes include encoding and molding compact discs, turning milk into mozzarella cheese, knitting exceptionally fine synthetic fibers into pantyhose, and assembling fluorescent tubes with phosphor coatings, electrodes and gas.

• 

  S01E03 Toothpicks, Acrylic Bathtubs, Helicopters, Beer

  January 20 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  The episode demonstrates how timber is sliced and shaped into toothpicks, acrylic sheets are heated and vacuum-formed into bathtubs, helicopters are assembled and tested, and grain, hops, yeast and water are brewed into beer.

• 

  S01E04 Hearing Aids, 3D Puzzles, Rubber Mats, Toilets

  January 27 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Miniature electronic components are fitted into custom hearing aids, printed designs are cut and assembled into three-dimensional puzzles, rubber is processed into durable floor mats, and vitreous china is molded, glazed and fired to produce toilets.

• 

  S01E05 Copy Paper, Jeans, Computers, Plate Glass

  February 3 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Wood pulp is refined and rolled into copy paper, denim is cut and sewn into jeans, electronic components are installed and tested in personal computers, and molten raw materials are formed into smooth sheets of plate glass.

• 

  S01E06 Nails and Staples, Safety Glasses, Fabrics, Bicycles

  February 10 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Steel wire is cut and shaped into nails and staples, impact-resistant lenses and frames become safety glasses, yarn is woven or knitted into fabric, and bicycle frames and components are assembled into finished cycles.

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  S01E07 Kayaks, Safety Boots, Electronic Signs, Cereals

  February 17 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  The program examines the molding and outfitting of kayaks, construction of reinforced safety boots, assembly and programming of electronic signs, and large-scale preparation, cooking and packaging of breakfast cereal.

• 

  S01E08 Trucks, Adhesive Bandages, Computer Circuit Boards, Liquors

  February 24 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Heavy truck chassis, engines, cabs and bodies are brought together on an assembly line; absorbent pads and adhesive strips become bandages; conductive pathways and components are added to printed circuit boards; and fermented ingredients are distilled and matured into liquor.

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  S01E09 Steel, Apple Juice, Aircraft Landing Gear, Cosmetics

  March 3 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Raw materials are melted and processed into steel, apples are cleaned and pressed into juice, high-strength components are machined and assembled into aircraft landing gear, and pigments, oils and waxes are blended into cosmetics.

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  S01E10 Holograms, Package Printing, Skin Culture, Canned Corn

  March 10 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Laser-recorded interference patterns are used to create holograms, high-speed presses print packaging materials, laboratory techniques grow replacement skin tissue, and corn is harvested, prepared, sealed and sterilized for canning.

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  S01E11 Plastic Bags, Solar Panels, Plastic Fuel Tanks, Hockey Sticks

  March 17 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Plastic film is extruded, cut and sealed into bags; photovoltaic cells are connected and laminated into solar panels; durable polymers are molded into vehicle fuel tanks; and layered materials are shaped and finished into hockey sticks.

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  S01E12 Aluminum Screw Caps, Chocolate, Pills, Pasta

  March 24 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Aluminum sheet is stamped and threaded into bottle caps, cocoa ingredients are refined and tempered into chocolate, pharmaceutical compounds are measured and compressed into pills, and flour-and-water dough is mixed and formed into pasta.

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  S01E13 Bicycle Helmets, Aluminum, Automotive Brakes, Lithium-Ion Batteries

  March 31 · 21min find the promo

  Show synopsis

  Expanded foam and protective shells are combined into bicycle helmets, aluminum is extracted and processed into usable metal, friction components and hydraulic parts become automotive braking systems, and precisely layered materials are assembled into rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.