It calls to mind the sprawling manufacturing cities on China's mainland, where the depth of the labor pool far eclipses that of the US. It might be tantamount to calling a product cheap, since cheap labor is why so many companies have their stuff made there. And it can stir up thoughts of supporting local businesses instead. But for most of us, "Made in China" is a familiar phrase attached to an abstract reality.

Two Swiss designers decided to get a closer look at the people and places that do the actual making in China. "Since we are industrial designers, the 'Made in China' label has always been something we were curious about," says Gregory Brunisholz, of Anaïde Gregory Studio. Five years ago Brunisholz grew even more curious after trying to work with a Chinese manufacturer to produce a light installation in Geneva. "It was a full-on cultural clash, via Skype discussions."

Curiosity sufficiently stoked, Brunisholz and Anaïde Davoudlarian pursued a Swatch Art residency program, got it, and spent six months in China photographing everything from family manufacturing operations to megafactories. The result is the Made in China Diary, a travelogue brimming with photos of markets, factories, and stacks on stacks of products.

It's a fascinating look into the micro-industries dotting China. Datang, for instance, is considered the sock-making capital of the world because its 10,000 factories manufacture one-third of the world's socks. The designers photographed everything from the giant spools of thread to the massive laundry room to the supply rooms full of socks packed in plastic.