By the end of this topic, you should be able to...
identify appropriate materials based on their physical, chemical and mechanical properties.
Guiding Question
Materials are selected for specific applications based on their properties.
💡 Did You Know? The difference between a product that fails and one that lasts a lifetime often comes down to a single decision: did the designer choose the right material?
Why Understand Material Selection?
Material selection is where theory meets consequence. When you're designing a water bottle, should you use stainless steel, borosilicate glass, or high-density polyethylene? The answer depends on your design specification: if portability matters, you need low density (physical property); if it's for hot liquids, you need high thermal resistance (physical); if it must survive drops, you need high impact strength (mechanical); if it's marketed as eco-friendly, you need to consider biodegradability or recyclability (chemical).
Every material brings trade-offs, and your job as a designer is to match properties to user needs and design constraints—not just pick what "looks good" or "seems strong enough." This is the bridge between understanding materials and applying that knowledge to solve real problems.
Case in Point
Nike's Flyknit running shoe demonstrates masterful material selection. Instead of traditional leather or synthetic overlays, designers chose engineered polyester yarn because of its low weight (physical), high tensile strength (mechanical), and resistance to moisture degradation (chemical). The result? A shoe that reduced waste by 60% in manufacturing while improving performance—proving that strategic material selection drives both innovation and sustainability.
Learning Goals
In this topic, you'll move beyond memorizing properties to applying them—learning how to evaluate materials against design criteria, justify your selections with evidence, and develop the critical thinking skills essential for your Internal Assessment and future design work.
Linking Questions
Which factors of ergonomics influence the choice of a material? (A1.1)
How can user-centred research methods influence the selection of a material? (A2.1)
To what extent does material selection rely on the desired manufacturing techniques? (A4.1)
How do designers prioritize material selection as part of the design process? (B2.1)
Which aspects of material selection do designers have to consider to take a product beyond usability? (C1.3)
How does the selection of a material influence whether a product can meet the requirements of design for sustainability or design for a circular economy? (C2.1, C2.2)
How does the choice of design for manufacture strategies affect the requirements for material selection? (C4.1)
To what extent are material selection and production systems interlinked? (B3.1, B4.1)