Etsy approved production partners is an idea from 2015. The idea was that Etsy was going to vet all of the production facilities of machine-made items on Etsy. That idea did not last long. Not sure why those pages are still in the Seller Handbook.
Wow....this is the first time I ever heard of this, even though I started mid-2013; goes to show how 'green' ,of a seller you can be for awhile :). Hearing about it now, I can see why it wouldn't have lasted long and not go over so big.
