Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Today's technological advancements have resulted in traditional materials being used in increasingly innovative ways; designers are able to push the materials they use to their limits. Understanding these materials helps designers make inspired, practical decisions with confidence. The Materials Sourcebook for Design Professionals provides comprehensive, accurate information about the basic materials with which designers work on a daily basis, as well as a complete breakdown of new and exciting developments in high-tech materials.

This inspiring and useful book is organized into six main sections on all the major design material groups: Metal, Plastic, Wood, Plant, Animal, and Mineral. Each section is broken down into chapters examining individual types of material within each larger group. Nearly one hundred material types are featured, each one supported by examples of how it can be used in a variety of industries, an outline of its most desirable properties, and details about its form and texture.

With 450 vibrant illustrations and a clear and accessible layout, this long-term reference tool covers everything designers need to know about the materials they use habitually so they can continue to use them better.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Rob Thompson--teacher, researcher, and expert on materials design--collaborated with accomplished photographer Martin Thompson on this appealing reference work. It serves as a practical guide and an inspiration for design professionals, offering information on history, attributes, cost, and sustainability of design materials. The handsome production includes sections on six categories of materials: metal, plastic (the largest portion of the book), wood, plant (cotton, hemp, bamboo, etc.), animal (silk, horn, fur, etc.), and mineral (stone, clay, glass, etc.). Each entry's standard format presents charts comparing the attributes of the material to competing materials, its history, and a discussion of commercial types, uses, and sustainability. Large color photos reveal how the materials have been used in projects running the gamut in architecture, furniture, clothing, and tools. This work complements Materials and Design: The Art and Science of Material Selection in Production in Product Design (3rd ed., 2014), a textbook--necessarily larger in scope--by Mike Ashby and Kara Johnson. Also of interest but featuring case studies is Materials for Design 2 (CH, Jun'14, 51-5410); Philip Howes and Zoe Laughlin's Material Matters: New Materials in Design (2012) provides further perspectives. This reputable guide will contribute enormously to readers' knowledge of design materials, whether one is a practicing or an aspiring professional or simply curious design-wise. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. --Nancy M. Lambert, University of South Carolina Upstate