# Raw materials catalog Every bill of materials points at entries in this catalog: the fabric, hardware, or sub-assemblies that get consumed when a manufacturing order is built. Materials get created as you go, including automatically from a matched SKU on an incoming sales line, so the catalog grows with your actual product setup instead of needing to be populated up front. ## Questions **What's the difference between a raw material and a component?** A raw material is bought as-is, like fabric, hardware, or a blank. A component is itself built from a bill of materials, so it can nest inside a larger assembly.