Selecting materials dt

• Environmental Factors


  • Where possible, use sustainable materials to limit environmental impact
  • Many materials used in products aren't very sustainable
• Sustainable materials


  • Biodegradable
  • Renewable resources
• Non-sustainable materials


  • Metal
  • Plastic
  • Paper/Wood
• Metal


  • Comes from non-renewable materials
  • Uses a lot of non-renewable energy
  • Mining damages ecosystems
• Plastic


  • Non-renewable
  • Not biodegradable
• Paper/Wood


  • Renewable, but only if trees are replanted to replace the ones cut down
  • Deforestation damages ecosystems
• Recycled


  Using materials for a different use, e.g. thermoforming plastics can be melted and remoulded
• Re-used


  Using materials for the same use, e.g. plastic bags can be re-used many times before breaking
• Using recycled or re-used materials helps limit non-biodegradable waste and the need for non-renewable materials
• As a designer, you have a social responsibility to act in a way that benefits society and the environment
• You shouldn't select materials based only on which ones will make the most money
• Fairtrade materials


  Materials produced in an ethical way that benefits the workers and communities
• Using recycled materials


  May cost more but has social benefits
• Obtaining raw materials often uses non-renewable energy sources which causes air pollution and health issues
• Recycling causes less air pollution than obtaining raw materials
• Obtaining new materials requires large amounts of land use which can negatively impact local communities
• Recycling helps reduce the number of people impacted by the materials industry
• Ethically sourced materials


  Produced in an environmentally sustainable and fair way
• Ethical material logos


  • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo for responsibly sourced timber/paper
• Animal products like fur, ivory and leather are often viewed as unethical as animals are killed
• Synthetic materials


  Ethical alternative to animal products, e.g. artificial fur
• Culture covers everything from religion, beliefs and laws to languages, food, dress, art and traditions
• Forces


  • Tension
  • Shear
  • Compression
• Tension


  • Tensile force, e.g. in a luggage strap
  • Trampoline effect - stretching an object and it returns to its original shape
• Shear


  Force that pushes one part of an object in one direction and another part in the opposite direction
• If designing for a specific culture, you need to consider their views and feelings