Commerce in the Middle Colonies revolved around sawmills and gristmills, the textile industry, pig iron and its products, printing, publishing, and papermaking. Forests were for ship buildings and lumbering. People’s livelihood was harvesting crops, selling grains and livestock to cities and nations as well sewing and cooking. The commerce were centered on exporting textile industry, importing raw cotton from East India Company, printing, publishing, papermaking, sawmills and gristmills. There was also a major production of pig iron and its products.