48 new materials - Material ConneXion

A Publication of Material ConneXion®/The World’s Largest Resource for Advanced, Innovative Materials/www.materialconnexion.com 

Volume 3.2 

US $ 5.00 

INSIDE: 

SANDY CHILEWICH 

TRANSPARENT SUSTAINABILITY 

48 NEW MATERIALS 

BEST OF SHOW

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Material ConneXion NEWS 

P. 3 

P. 4 

P. 5 

P. 6 

Material ConneXion 

Material ConneXion Bangkok 

Material ConneXion Cologne 

Material ConneXion Milano 

OF MATERIAL INTEREST 

P. 8 

P. 11 

Materials With a Mission 

Great design turns abaca into gold 

Interview 

Sandy Chilewich reminisces about her materials career 

STATE OF THE ART 

P. 17 

P. 18 

Best of Show 

Three extraordinary new materials selected by our jury 

48 New Materials 

Recent additions to our library and database 

MATERIAL PROFILE 

P. 24 

P. 26 

Materials at Extreme Temperatures by Dr. Andrew Dent 

Sourcing tips 

Smart Fabrics by Dr. Cynthia Tyler 

The next generation is genius! 

IN THE MATERIAL WORLD 

P. 28 

P. 30 

P. 32 

P. 35 

Transparent Sustainability by Lindsey Clark 

Granola is going, going, gone 

This Green House by Alanna Stang 

Inspirational and environmentally friendly 

Inside the Box by Phil Patton 

Shipping containers in art and commerce 

Join Material ConneXion 

Cover: Quilted Bacbac Panel 

Photo: © Colleen Noonan 

CONTENTS 

1

2 

WELCOME Spring is a very exciting season for 

Material ConneXion. We kicked it off with 

an appearance at the Salone del Mobile in 

Milan and, when this magazine comes off 

the press, we will be poised to launch an 

ambitious suite of design events to take place 

during New York Design Week. 

On May 19th, Material ConneXion is pre- 

senting its second annual symposium, 

TERRA MATTER: Inspire, Innovate, Sustain. 

For those of you who attended Malfatto, 

TERRA MATTER will be bigger and even 

better. It will feature designers and 

intellectuals whom I feel are saying some- 

thing relevant, urgent, and unique about 

materials, design, and sustainability. Some 

of these stars I’ve admired for a long time— 

Michele Oka Doner, Leslie Hoffman, and Dr. Michael Braungart, for instance— 

and some are fresh voices who have caught my ear: Sergio Palleroni, Sami Hayek, 

Jill Dumain, and Natalie Chanin, among others. 

The program will continue at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, with 

Materials Focus Sessions and the unveiling of Transformations, an exhibition of the 

building elements and furniture that resulted from a successful partnership with the 

Philippine government. 

I certainly hope you can join us in May at TERRA MATTER, ICFF, or our 

New York office. 

George M. Beylerian 

Founder and President 

Material ConneXion

Material ConneXion ® 

Headquartered in New York City with locations in Bangkok, Cologne, and Milan, 

Material ConneXion ® has become the definitive resource of cutting-edge materials for 

architects, artists, and design ers from all disciplines. At our physical libraries, visitors 

can reach out and touch the latest inspiring gels, plastics, resins, foams, and laminates. 

Complete access to the Material ConneXion database is also available online. 

Following is an update of our initiatives to spread our materials expertise worldwide. 

Salone del Mobile New Hires 

This year’s Salone del Mobile was bigger than 

ever. More exhibitors, more buyers, more manufacturers, 

and more international press, all 

brought together under one dramatic, sweeping, 

fiberglass-and-steel canopy designed by architect 

Massimiliano Fuksas. Over the course of five days, 

they came by the thousands—250,000 by the latest 

count—speaking myriad different languages. 

Experimental new materials were a clear trend 

throughout the fairgrounds, and visitors obviously 

appreciated the relevance of Material ConneXion’s 

message. 

The Materials Matter exhibition, which the “cream 

of the crop” from Material ConneXion Milan’s permanent 

collection, was prominently situated on 

the “main street” that connected the various pavilions 

housing home furnishings, kitchens, baths, 

and lighting show rooms. It was also adjacent to a 

bookstore specializing in architecture and design 

publications and the crowd naturally spilled over 

to request information on materials, to meet with 

MC representatives, to purchase catalogues, and 

to join the materials library. 

In conjunction with the exhibit at the Fair, MC 

showed off its collection of materials within the 

Milan Triennale, one of the most famous design 

museums in the world. The space, designed by 

architect Michele de Lucchi, lay on the design pilgrims’ 

path and enjoyed constant traffic throughout 

the five-day event. 

Partnership with 

Furniture Society 

Material ConneXion is pleased to announce its 

partnership with the Furniture Society, a taxexempt, 

nonprofit organization that aims to 

advance the art of furniture making. 

For more information, go to 

www.furnituresociety.org. 

Furniture Society members will receive 10% off any 

individual or corporate access plan. For more information 

on this group, contact Michael LaGreca, 

Director of Library Access Programs, at 212-842- 

2050 or access@materialconnexion.com. 

Steven Wagner joined Material Connexion in March 

2006 as Director of Marketing and Corporate 

Communications. Prior to joining the company he 

had been the Senior 

Design Editor of House 

Beautiful Magazine and 

was one of the founding 

editors of Metropolitan 

Home Magazine. Over 

the past ten years he 

has worked with the 

Hearst Magazine Group 

in various roles as editorial 

director of the web 

component of maga- 

Steven Wagner 

NEWS 

zines such as Town 

and Country, Redbook, 

Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Harpers Bazaar, 

House Beautiful, and Country Living. He has a long 

history of working in the new media/internet arena 

and will be concentrating on enhancing the Material 

ConneXion web site as well as on working with the 

national and international press to promote the mission 

of Material ConneXion. 

Material ConneXion also welcomes Stuart Glass to 

its sales and marketing team as the Vice President 

of Sales and Business Development. In this position, 

Mr. Glass will be broadening the reach of the firm’s 

consultancy practice, called the Advanced Material 

Solutions Teamsm , which 

provides custom materials 

research services 

to manufacturers, 

designers, architects, 

and specifiers in all disciplines. 

His attention 

will also be given to Innovation 

Marketing sm 

services and visibility 

programs for material 

developers. He will build, 

oversee, and manage Stuart Glass 

the company sales force. 

He provided strategic design leadership on 


both national and New York international · Bangkok · Cologne · Milan high-profile 

integrated branding projects as former CEO of 

Stuart Glass Design Group and a Design Director of 

Landor Associates and Lippincott-Mercer. 


New York · Bangkok · Cologne · Milan 

127 West 25th Street, 2nd Floor 

New York, NY 10001 

T +1 212 842 2050 / F +1 212 842 1090 

E info@materialconnexion.com 

MATERIAL CONNEXION 

3

MATERIAL CONNEXION BANGKOK 

4 


Bangkok NEWS 

This spring, Material ConneXion Bangkok has 

undertaken several successful initiatives to 

reach out to its constituency. 

In conjunction with the Thailand Creative & 

Design Center (TCDC), Material ConneXion 

Bangkok exhibited at the Thailand International 

Furniture Fair 2006 / Interior Design Asia, from 

March 8 – 12, 2006. “Thailand International 

Furniture Fair / Interior Design Asia is one of 

the premier events of the design, furniture, and 

furnishing community in Asia. We are pleased 

to be part of this event, which focuses on the 

creative forces shaping the future of the industry: 

concepts, trends, materials, and technologies,” 

commented Chaiyong Ratana-ung-goon, 

Vice President of Material ConneXion Bangkok 

and Managing Director of TCDC. 

At the fair, countless visitors took the opportunity 

to explore the showcase, which was designed 

to appeal to all five senses. The feedback was 

overwhelmingly positive. 

The exhibition highlighted tabulae from the first lot 

of Thai materials juried into Material ConneXion’s 

archive. It attracted tremendous interest from 

the local media, architects, engineers, interior 

designers, industrial designers, and other 

manufacturers. The five featured materials 

from Thailand are Weaving Paper from Daorath 

Handicraft Group, Look-Lee Fabric from Daorath 

Handicraft Group, Crystaline Mosaics from 

N Cubed, Fur Stories from Graph-Tex Studio, 

and Fake Fur from Jong Stit. “We strongly believe 

that Material ConneXion Bangkok will 

source more and more new materials and develop 

them to meet the needs of designers and 

manufacturers locally and worldwide,” said 

Chompoonuj Weerakitti, Director of Material 

Library, Material ConneXion Bangkok. 

Apisit Laistrooglai, Managing Director of 

Material ConneXion Bangkok and Director of 

the Resources Center, TCDC, added, “Given the 

increasing sophistication and consciousness of 

today’s consumers, a fitting use of innovative 

materials is one that considers the following: Is 

it stronger and lighter, is it less expensive, is it 

environmentally friendly and durable? Designers 

must keep an eye on the most recent international 

materials developments on an international level 

and yet, at the same time, also appreciate their 

own indigenous natural materials.” 

On February 17, Material ConneXion Bangkok, in 

cooperation with TCDC, hosted its first subscribers’ 

party at the Thailand Creative & Design Center. 

Mr. Pansak Vinyaratn, chairman of the TCDC, 

warmly welcomed the more than 50 attending 

subscribers with an inspiring speech. During the 

get-together, the crowd was introduced to newly 

arrived materials. 

At the next event, on April 20, George M. Beylerian, 

Founder and President of Material ConneXion, 

and Dr. Andrew Dent, Vice President of Library 

and Materials Research, were on hand to per- 

® 

sonally Material greet subscribers. ConneXionAfter 

Bangkok the reception, 

Dr. Dent lectured New York on · Bangkok The · Cologne Influence · Milan of Materials on 

Design Innovation at the TCDC auditorium. 

® 

Material ConneXion Bangkok 

New York · Bangkok · Cologne · Milan 

6th Floor, The Emporium Shopping Complex 

622 Sukhumvit 24 

Bangkok 10110 Thailand 

T +66 0 2 664 8448 

F +66 0 664 8459 

E infothailand@materialconnexion.com

Photo: Survey 

inc? 

capitals? 


Cologne NEWS 

Good news! According to IFO, the institute for 

economic research, the motor of Germany’s 

economy has fired up. Experts calculate a 1.5% 

economic growth for 2006. And with high export 

figures and an increase in domestic investment, 

manufacturing industry is right at the forefront 

of this development. German companies, among 

the worldwide technological elite, are once 

again making healthy profits. In recognition of 

this fact, the stock market has reached record 

levels. 

The German branch of Material ConneXion, established 

in March 2005 in Cologne’s design 

center, is already profiting from this trend and 

has registered an increase in demand. The consultancy 

service in particular is showing satisfying 

growth. Internationally renowned companies 

from a wide variety of industries all figure in 

Material ConneXion Cologne’s customer listing 

and avail themselves of the library’s extensive 

range of materials and services. These include 

German automobile manufacturers, internationally 

recognized fashion labels and textile 

companies, producers of consumer goods, and 

telecommunications suppliers, as well as many 

companies and independent designers involved 

in interior design. 

Alongside the big names from business, many 

small- and medium-sized suppliers are also 

subscribers to Cologne’s library. Often these 

are the real innovators, because today it is the 

suppliers’ development teams who completely 

manufacture the pre-assembly products used 

in automobiles, furniture, consumer goods, etc. 

Designers are developing new ideas on a daily 

The Material ConneXion Cologne Team (left to right): Niki Vogiantzi, Anne Farken, 

Karsten Bleymehl, Rolf Warda, Carsta Schauff and Sandra Wichtrup. 

basis, experimenting with new materials and selecting 

and combining these according to their 

visual, haptic, and functional qualities. Material 

ConneXion offers them a one-stop platform where 

they can quickly find information that might otherwise 

require hours of time-consuming research 

on their part to obtain. 

In response to the increase in demand, the team 

at Material ConneXion Cologne has grown significantly 

over the past year. In addition to Manager 

Rolf Warda, five colleagues are employed in Cologne: 

Karsten Bleymehl and Anne Farken (research), 

Niki Vogiantzi (sales), Sandra Wichtrup 

(management), and Carsta Schauff (office). Their 

range of duties includes participation at industry 

shows—from exhibition stand design through customer 

care. In 2006 alone, Material ConneXion 

Cologne attended six trade fairs including the biggest 

industrial show in the world, the Hannover 

Messe. At this and other such shows, the MCC 

team has the chance to track down innovative materials 

and processing methods and to introduce 

itself to manufacturers. After all, at the end of the 

day, the library is built on what it gives its customers: 

a pool of innovative, cutting-edge materials. 

Lichtstr. 43 G 

50825 Cologne, Germany 

T +49 221 99 22 28 0 

F +49 221 99 22 28 11 

E infogermany@materialconnexion.com 

MATERIAL CONNEXION C OLOGNE 

5

Formed by Nature, Crafted by Man 

Known as one of the most technically innovative companies in the wood 

industry, The G.R. Plume Company brings distinctive solutions to the clients of 

Material ConneXion, opening up new and unexpected uses of organic wood 

products such as RFKD timber. Radio frequency kiln dried freshly sawn timber 

maintains the classic motif of true wood timber without the frustration of 

performance problems during and after incorporation, making it one of 

the most solid, stable and purest materials. 

MC # 5361 

G.R. Plume Company 1373 West Smith Road Suite A-1 Ferndale, WA 98248 Tel: 360-384-2800 Fax: 360-384-0335 www.grplume.com

inc? 

capitals? 


The 45th Salone Internazionale del Mobile 

and associated events took place from April 5 

to 10 inside Milan’s brand new fairgrounds situated 

in the city’s northern suburb, Rho-Pero. 

The space was immediately sold out to 2,549 

exhibitors anxious to display the best of their 

home and office furniture production. 

The exhibited designs, characterized by warm, 

enveloping environments furnished with colorful 

and comfortable pieces, reflected the 

Italian home and life style. The new home 

concept turns its back on absolute minimalism 

and welcomes a wide range of textures, 

decorations, and colors. 

Combinations of styles and furnishings create 

environments conceived for wellbeing. This is 

especially apparent in bathroom and kitchen; 

however, there was also obvious attention 

paid to making working areas more comfortable, 

functional, and ergonomic: the office as 

second home. 

Material ConneXion exhibited a selection of 

cutting-edge materials from three interesting 

areas of material development: 

• New polymer forms 

• Alternative natural materials 

• Metal processing 

New polymer forms 

The development of good quality expanded 

foams from plastics such as polypropylene 

and polyethylene has broadened the application 

field for these molded, lightweight rigid 

forms. Easily colorable and shaped to complex 

geometries, they can also be molded onto textiles, 

incorporate metallic objects, and have 

texture. The organic-looking, convoluted ligaments 

of soil erosion matting also buck the 

assumption that molded polymers need to 

have synthetic-looking regular forms. 

Alternative natural materials 

Creative use of bark, wheat, and paper materials 

has given us new ways of looking at natural 

Via Davanzati n. 33 

20158 Milano, Italy 

T +39 02 39 32 55 85 

F +39 02 39 32 12 39 

E infoitalia@materialconnexion.com 

Milano NEWS 

surfaces. Although produced using techniques 

thousands of years old, the re-purposing of 

bark cloth has added a unique textural surface 

to both flexible cloth sheet and also rigid laminate. 

Foamed paper forms for packaging give 

us more sustainable packaging alternatives 

to current plastics, and pressed, rigid wheat 

waste has been used to decorative advantage 

in particleboard alternatives. 

Metal processing 

The continued lure of metals and metallic surfaces 

has led to a number of developments 

in alternative ways of recreating the solidity 

and surface effect of this class of materials. 

Multilayering of dissimilar metals can create 

new color combinations when the metals are 

bent and polished. The use of pressure to deform 

welded steel results in almost soft looking 

creases and folds. Plating plastics with hard, 

wear- and corrosion-resistant metal has also 

become a more viable alternative to solid metal, 

creating the feel of titanium, stainless steel, 

and other high-performance materials without 

the attendant processing and cost issues. 

c/o La Triennale di Milano 

Viale Alemagna 6 


T +39 02 72 43 42 55 

F +39 02 39 32 12 39 

E triennale@materialconnexion.com 

MATERIAL CONNEXION MILANO 

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108 

MATERIALS WITH A MISSION 

by Lilas Harley 

The more than 7,000 volcanically formed 

islands that compose the Philippines encompass 

spectacular forests, wetlands, 

and beaches. It is no secret that, in contrast 

to this natural abundance, many of the 

nation’s nearly 88 million inhabitants live 

in poverty. Traditionally, skilled craftsmen 

made a living fashioning decorative household 

items, gifts, and accessories out of the 

plants, shells, and rocks that surrounded 

them. However, strenuous competition from 

China—which can make such products for 

less—has seriously threatened this income 

source. 

In conjunction with the Philippine Department 

of Trade and Industry and the Center 

for International Trade Expositions and 

Missions (CITEM), Material ConneXion has 

successfully completed the unique project 

Transformations: Nature & Beyond, which 

explores new applications of indigenous 

materials in an effort to breathe new life 

into the Philippine economy. Individually, 

the furniture, interior, and architectural 

elements that resulted from the endeavor 

exemplify outstanding design; collectively, 

they represent a bold plan to accelerate the 

economy of developing nations. 

CITEM approached George M. Beylerian, 

founder of Material ConneXion, because of 

Beylerian’s formidable reputation as one of 

design’s savviest businessmen, with a special 

sensitivity for materials. With CITEM 

overseeing the manufacturing facilities, 

Beylerian brought in big designer names 

from Europe and the United States. A veteran 

of the furniture industry, Beylerian knew 

that these exceptional talents, “could create 

something with cachet that could be sold to 

architects and interior designers whose clients 

will pay a higher price for a substantial, 

enduring object.” He is confident that the 

ad valorum strategy will allow the Philippines 

to find a profitable market niche for themselves 

because, while he admits that others 

could copy these pieces, “there is less 

incentive in that market because it is so exclusive.” 

After visiting the Philippines and inspecting 

the manufacturing facilities there, Beylerian 

invited celebrity designers Gijs Bakker, 

Gregory and Judith Beylerian, Ed and Lor 

Calma, Clodagh, Tom Dixon, Doug Fitch, Paul 

and Barbara Haigh, Tom Hardy, Arik Lexy, 

Michele Oka Doner, Satyendra Pakhale, 

Karim Rashid, Shigeru Uchida, and Kevin 

Bamboo

Woven bamboo and foam by Satyendra Pakhalé 

Walz to participate in the project by designing 

modular building and decorative elements. 

Each designer received a kit containing 

such materials as abaca fiber, bamboo, 

saguing (banana plant fiber), coconut shell, 

lahar (pumice), and nito (a supple fern) and 

was asked to select at least one material to 

transform into something precious—hence 

the exhibition’s title. 

Clodagh has gained a reputaion for using 

sustainable materials, modern technology, 

and ancient techniques to create almost 

spiritually beautiful environments. She 

chose to work with abaca fiber, which is obtained 

from the leaf of a banana-like plant, 

for its exceptional strength, flexibility, and 

lustrous color palette. In her wall and ceiling 

panels, she capitalizes on the material’s 

naturally uneven fiber concentration to 

achieve different levels of transparency. For 

this designer, part of the excitement of being 

involved in the Transformations project 

was the hope that her product would be “a 

true commodity and create a work source to 

increase the prosperity of the Philippines.” 

Kevin Walz Clodagh David Rockwell 

Photo: © Jonathan Levine 


9


10 

Photo: © J. Alex Halderman 

Quilted banana fiber by Tony Gonzales 

Insert: The raw material

Photos: © Colleen Noonan 

Woven nito chair by Shigeru Uchida Woven seagrass chair by Karim Rashid 

Superstar interior designer Kevin Walz freely 

admits that he hadn’t paid much attention 

to bamboo until he chose to work with it for 

Transformations. Conventional treatments, 

he had found, tended to disguise or homogenize 

its natural properties, thus stripping 

it of its “vibrancy and life.” In his own three 

building products, he sought to preserve 

these qualities. Walz predicts great things 

for bamboo: “[It] will certainly outperform 

cedar as a siding material. Bamboo will take 

on a silvery richness once the sun hits it, 

which will bring a warm, rustic quality to the 

[building’s] surface.” 

Although intrigued by all the materials presented 

to them, the Rockwell Group settled 

on coconut shell, a material not usually associated 

with the design or architecture 

fields. Rockwell’s design, a coconut-chip 

screen, embraces variance and encourages 

variants. The Group can see altering 

the chips’ size, shape, and color, “while the 

curtain itself could appear in any length or 

width desired.” Moreover, a bamboo frame 

could quickly take the concept from curtain 

to cabinet. 

Most of the furniture items, floor and ceiling 

tiles, and screens developed through the initiative 

are still at the prototype stage, with 

testing needed to determine both levels of 

stability and environmental ratings (due to 

some of the resins used). However, having 

come this far, Beylerian is confident that 

testing and any necessary improvements 

can be made quickly: “Basically, our role 

thus far has been one of consulting and developing 

projects and we would now be happy 

to take the next step.” The exhibition’s 

reception at ICFF will inform the participating 

parties about the best ways to market 

and distribute the items. One line of furniture—benches, 

tables and stools designed 

by Karim Rashid—is already installed in the 

Semiramis Hotel, Athens, the location for 

which they were exclusively designed. 

From May 20 to 23, Material ConneXion will 

preview Transformations: Nature & Beyond 

at the International Contemporary Furniture 

Fair, NYC. By highlighting the sophistication 

of natural materials, the Transformations 

exhibit will undoubtedly generate interest in 

the Philippine marketplace. It is also expected 

to inform other materials-rich countries 

about Material ConneXion’s ability to open 

up new and vital markets globally. 


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12 

INTERVIEW 

Sandy Chilewich and George Beylerian are both entrepreneurs who are 

driven by a love of materials. They met at Material ConneXion to talk 

about how they turn creative inspiration into business success. 

GB: Before you had Chilewich, you had already 

gained a name and reputation with the hosiery 

company, HUE. But first you were trained as a 

jewelry designer? 

SC: I wasn’t trained at anything. 

GB: Just like me! I know nothing about materials. 

SC: I know nothing about materials either! 

[laughter] 

GB: How did you get into textiles, then? 

SC: You know, I thought I was an artist. I never 

graduated from college. I was very confused, 

but I always did artwork. 

GB: You created things. 

SC: Yes. I remember going into one gallery and 

the guy—in the nicest way—said, “You know, 

I think your stuff is very commercial.” At the 

time, I thought that was the biggest insult. I 

cried! He didn’t mean it as a criticism, but I 

thought all right, that’s the end of that career. 

GB: What were you showing him? 

SC: Collages. I was also doing sculpture with 

Plexiglas, and there were these beaded things 

going on in there. So I started to design jewelry—again, 

I had no background so there was 

beading but no soldering. But I started to sell at 

Bendel’s and Bloomingdale’s. 

I lived in Noho at that time (1976). There was 

another woman [in my building] who was an 

art teacher. You know those black canvas 

Mary Jane Chinese slippers? They had them 

only available in black at that point. We had just 

been drinking wine and we thought, wouldn’t it 

be great to make them in color? And she had 

some bleach and some Tintex, and we were 

drunk and we bleached the shoes out and we 

died them. We thought, “Oh this looks pretty 

cool!” (It was, like, fuchsia.) So we did a bunch 

of them, and at the next building meeting every 

girl who walked in said “Oh my God, where did 

you get these?” 

So I had an appointment with Vogue to show my 

jewelry. I went in with the shoes and the jewelry. 

They punted the jewelry and then they said “Oh 

my God!” and they go into Grace Mirabella’s office 

and she comes out herself and says, “Oh my 

God, we’re doing a shoot in Sardinia and we need 

these colors in size ten. We’re leaving on Monday 

morning can you do it?” This was on a Friday. 

And we say, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.” But these 

shoes are all teeny because they come from 

China town. To find size ten in China town, we 

had to get cartons of forty and throw away three 

quarters of it for the eights, nines, and tens, and 

then we had to duplicate the colors that we did 

like soups: eggplant, mustard…. We gave them up 

wet on Monday and off they went. We didn’t know 

what the hell we were doing. 

When they came back they said, “These look fabulous. 

We’re doing a full-page spread. What’s the 

name of your company and who do you sell to?” 

We had no idea what they meant, that we had to 

sell to somebody. We were really naïve. We went 

to Bergdorf’s and said, “We’re going to get this 

two-page spread in Vogue do you want to buy 

some of these? And the name of the company is 

Shoes by Kathy and Sandy.” It was phenomenal. 

We had washing machines going day and night. 

All we’d done was we took a commodity that was 

only available in one color and we offered it in 

many colors. 

Chilewich 

of 

GB: That’s like my success story with plastics. 

Courtesy 

In those days plastics were red, blue, yellow, 

green…and then people got tired of that. One Photos:

of my sales reps in Chicago told me “You know 

George, I think people are getting tired of these 

colors.” (He was very sophisticated.) “What 

about something like dusty rose?” he said. 

Dusty rose was an exotic color to use. We all 

looked at him and laughed. And I said “What 

about periwinkle!” So we had periwinkle and 

then we had another color, jade green. Before 

you know it, we had a new product. 

SC: That was right when color was just beginning, 

when t-shirts were first being offered in 

25 colors. 

GB: How did the transition go from shoes to 

tights? 

SC: Well the editors kept asking us “What other 

things do you do?” And so we thought about 

what else we could offer a lot of colors in. One 

of the things we bought were cotton nurse’s 

stockings. They got a great reaction, and we 

were asked whether we could do the same for 

tights. So we went down South and we really 

started to play on the machines. At that point, 

there was really only one other company that 

was doing anything even remotely interesting 

and they were taking bulky socks and making 

them colorful. We were doing something more 

feminine, and we were the first people to make 

a cotton core-spun so that it would stretch. 

From just a business perspective we realized 

that we couldn’t do everything; so we dropped 

the shoes. There was such a big market for legwear. 

GB: Organizing that was such a big job, from nowhere 

to become a major, influential company! 

SC: Yeah, but you know I owned HUE for 16 

years, so that was a long process to build it up 

to the established brand that it still is. I think I 

kind of stumbled on that process. I didn’t start 

out thinking that I wanted to become a hosiery 

designer. I went jewelry to shoes to hosiery. 

Once I sold HUE, sales were grossing $40 million. 

Then I had this concept for making the textile 

baskets, the Ray Bowls. I did have that idea 

in my head of making the basket and of using 

the hosiery material, the stretch mesh. Once 

that was made, I had another idea and that’s 

why I came to Material ConneXion. I wanted to 

take solid vinyls and weave them, sort of like in 

50s junky chairs. 

I didn’t know where to look to find this vinyl. But 

you guys had just opened. When I came here I 

found Phifer and it was way more interesting as 

a product than what I had expected, which was 


13


14 

just solid vinyl. So I started pursuing them. 

GB: What was Phifer’s reaction when you came 

to them? 

SC: You know, it was amazing. I went down and 

was just buying off of their line. From their line 

I was making placemats and bags and I backed 

it in this rudimentary way as floor mats, and I’d 

already started selling a little bit. I brought it all 

down there and It was great and we really bonded. 

Not that I was making them much money at 

that stage in the game, but I think they were 

flattered that I could take their materials and do 

something with it. 

GB: That’s the difference between big-time industrialists 

who have mono-vision and someone 

like you. You are the perfect entrepreneurial person. 

Your entrepreneurship is based on materials 

and development. 

SC: The artistic end is vital to me; nevertheless, 

the commercial viability is equally critical. When 

I first introduced the Ray Bowl, I was in the store 

counting how many they’d sold on a daily basis 

because I knew that if it didn’t come across in retail, 

it wasn’t going to work. I don’t consider myself 

an artist but I am artistic and I like to make 

as few design compromises as possible, but 

if it doesn’t work with the consumer then I am 

not a businessperson. It ultimately has to make 

money. That’s not everybody’s cup of tea. But if 

you’re going to go that route, then you have to 

test your product. 

GB: I think what’s important here is the sense of 

materials as a key source of inspiration. It’s the 

material that drives you to do things rather than 

the other way round. 

SC: Yes, I look at materials and ask myself, “What 

else could this material be?”

BEST OF SHOW 

Once a month, an interdisciplinary team of experts from a variety of design related 

fields come together to select new materials for the library. Out of the forty materials, 

juried monthly, one is chosen as the Best of Show. According to Dr. Andrew Dent, our 

Vice President of Library and Material Research, who moderates the jury sessions, a model material 

is innovative, eco-friendly, technologically advanced, and has many possible applications. 

Here, we have highlighted three of the most recent Best of Show materials. 

Contact information for the manufacturers of the materials on these pages is available in 

Material ConneXion’s online library database www.materialconnexion.com. Refer to the MC#. 

For information on how to become a subscriber e-mail us at access@materialconnexion.com. 

Polymer: D30 

MC# 5536-01 

Moldable resin that stiffens 

on impact. The technology 

harnesses dilatancy, the property 

ascribed to a substance 

that flows when moved slowly 

but that stiffens when moved 

quickly (similar to cornstarch 

in water). The resin is molded 

into flexible, elastic sheets 

that are designed predominantly 

as protective padding 

in sportswear. 

Natural: Particle Board 

from Natural Waste 

MC# 5496-01 

Resin-impregnated, natural fiber 

sheet that utilizes waste 

materials. The rigid panels incorporate 

Vetiver grass, rice 

husk, wood chips, lemon grass, 

or orange skin in an 8% polymeric 

dipheylmethane diisocyanate 

adhesive (PDMI) matrix. 

The sheets comply with standard 

particleboard in strength, 

screw pullout, water resistance 

and surface roughness. 

Process: Polymer Chain Mail 

MC# 539001 

Automated injection-molding 

process that manufactures 

seamless, interlinked 

elements. This mesh may 

be manufactured from most 

thermoplastic materials including 

polypropylene (PP), 

polyethylene (PE), and polycarbonate 

(PC). Potential 

applications include exterior 

facades, drapes, seating, or 

lampshades. 

STATE OF THE ART 

15

16 


MC# 0027-03 

MC# 4207-02 

MC# 5510-01 

MC# 5514-01 

MC# 5517-01 

MC# 5519-01 

Highly transparent polymer 

sound barrier for exterior 

use. 100% acrylic (PMMA) 

is cast into clear sheets that 

incorporate polyamide threads 

to guard against explosive 

shattering. Comes with a 

10-year weathering guarantee. 

For exterior sound abatement 

along transport lines. 

Cast resin sheet with a “double 

layer” effect. This 100% acrylic 

(PMMA) sheet is cast as one 

piece, with the two dissimilar 

sections formed at the same 

time, thus eliminating any 

chance of delamination. Available 

in sheets of 8 x 4 ft (2.44 

x 1.22 m) and in six colors. 

Sublimation process that 

combines digital printing 

with high-temperature 

image transfer to print high 

resolution graphics onto 

a wide variety of surfaces, 

from glass and concrete 

to high-pressure laminate. 

Appropriate for promotional 

displays, interior design, and 

architecture. 

Cellulosic matrix impregnated 

with polyester resin 

for cost-effective cooling and 

humidification. When hot, 

dry air passes at a relatively 

low speed through the wet 

matrix, it is cooled and humidified. 

Applications include 

greenhouses and open air 

structures. 

Durable, crocodile-textured 

linoleum. The flexible sheets 

are made of natural materials 

calendared onto jute 

or paper backing. Class B1 

according to DIN 4102. Appropriate 

for commercial and 

residential settings. 

Rigidized metal sheet. 

Hydroforming imparts regular 

square forms or other shapes 

onto metal sheets. These 

sheets are staggered and 

glued together back to back to 

create one highly stiff sheet. 

Applications include dividing 

panels, work surfaces, and 

electromagnetic shielding. 

MC# 0091-15 

MC# 5508-01 

MC# 5513-01 

MC# 5516-01 

MC# 5518-01 

MC# 5520-01 

High-pressure laminates 

(HPL’s) with a textured 

surface. Decorative paper 

impregnated with melamine 

is pressed with kraft paper 

impregnated with phenolic 

resin at high pressure to 

produce laminates with high 

hardnesses. 

Rigid textured aluminum 

tiles for interior flooring. The 

tiles are anodized to impart 

a durable UV resistant color. 

The textured top surface may 

receive a clear coating to 

ensure good slip and scratch 

resistance. Custom sizes, thicknesses, 

colors and finishes are 

available on request. 

Faux stone surface that 

can be worked like wood. 

Mineral particulates in a 

resin binder are adhered 

to a rigid substrate that 

may be MDF, aluminum, 

Alucobond, particleboard or 

other construction material 

substrates. Applications are 

wall surfaces, event design 

elements, and furniture. 

A process for generating 

highly detailed decorative 

and functional surface structures 

using 3-D rendering 

software and rapid prototyping. 

This software improves 

upon the existing capabilities 

of shaders, making it possible 

to impart a highly detailed 

surface texture. 

Solid surfacing from 100% 

post consumer recycled 

paper. Waste paper pulp is 

mixed with a non-petroleum 

phenolic resin to produce a 

rigid, hard, durable solid surfacing 

sheet. The slabs come 

up to 60 in x 12 ft (1.524 x 

3.66 m) with thicknesses of 

1/4 to 2 in (6.35 to 51 mm). 

Tactile decorative wall covering. 

These wallcoverings use 

a special effect fleece surface 

on a non-woven backing. 

They are dimensionally 

stable, Class B1 according to 

DIN 4102 (Class 1 according 

to ASTM E-84). For use in 

commercial interior applications.

Contact information for the manufacturers of the materials on these pages is available in Material ConneXion’s 

online library database www.materialconnexion.com. Refer to the MC#. For information on how to become 

a Library User e-mail us at access@materialconnexion.com. 

MC# 5522-01 

Perforated rubber sheet for 

fashion and interior design 

applications. Thin, durable, 

black rubber sheet is perforated 

in a range of patterns 

to create a flexible, durable, 

elastic, and tear-resistant 

sheet. Currently available 

only in black. For apparel 

and interiors. 

MC# 5528-01 

3D graphics that can be applied 

to various substrates. 

This printing technique 

goes beyond lenticulars by 

allowing the placement of 

flat graphics over kinetic 

3D graphics to further create 

the illusion of depth. 

MC# 5532-01 

Ceramic tiles that incorporate 

unique textured surfaces 

for decorative effect. 

Nine distinct topographical 

surfaces are created on 

glazed ceramic tiles for 

interior applications. The 

tiles come in matte, glossy, 

and extra glossy finishes. 

MC# 5535-01 

Electroluminescent polymer 

sheet that offers greater 

flexibility than existing types, 

due to the usage of printable 

polyurethane in conjunction 

with other inks. These sheets 

may be used as backlighting 

for cell phones, as safety 

lighting in backpacks and 

wearables, and in novelty 

gear. 

MC# 5537-01 MC# 1949-07 MC# 5358-02 MC# 5485-01 

A process for powder coating 

plastics that offers an 

alternative to liquid painting 

or inherent coloring. 

It works by applying dry, 

pigmented powder onto 

a substrate via a charged 

particle stream and 

charged substrate. The part 

is then baked in an oven. 

MC# 5491-01 

Laminated glass sheet 

that converts electricity to 

radiant heat. Two sheets of 

glass sandwich a consuctive 

polymer film to creat 

a clear panel. Its maximum 

service heat is approximately 

70°C (158°F). 

A high-definition printing 

process for coloring carpet. 

Using a proprietary technique, 

pattern is created 

through selective bleaching 

of the color. The modular 

tile is tufted, textured, loop 

pile nylon 6,6 and backed 

with a PVC-free cushion. 

For interior contract 

flooring. 

MC# 5492-01 

Custom perforated metal 

sheets for a wide range of 

applications. Aluminum, 

plain carbon and stainless 

steel, titanium zinc or brass 

sheets are perforated with 

round or square holes in 

any pattern or size. 

A process for custom 

manufacturing woven 

security mesh for containers 

and bags. Copper wire is 

sheathed in 100% polyvinyl 

chloride (PVC) and knit into 

1200 mm (47.2 in) wide textiles. 

The mesh is connected 

to a continuous current 

circuit so that if one section 

of the wire is cut, the circuit 

shorts and an alarm sounds. 

MC# 5477-01 

Leather produced using 

organic farming, handling, 

and tanning techniques. 

The hides are tanned using 

vegetable dyes and kept 

separate from any nonorganic 

hides. The company 

produces a range of qualities 

and thicknesses as well 

as suede and Nubuck. 

House insulation made 

from dried sea grass that 

has been harvested as 

bio-waste. This insulation 

is durable, does not attract 

parasites, has good absorption, 

and acts as a humidity 

buffer. It is supplied in bags 

and complies with B2 fire 

retardance according to 

DIN 4102-2. 

MC# 5487-01 

Structural sheet steel that 

incorporates fine spacer filaments 

to achieve strength 

with lightness. This stainless 

steel sheet comprises two 

outer thin sheets that are 

separated with a regular array 

of thin wires orthogonal 

to the sheet orientation. 

Applications include aircraft, 

electronics, and sports 

equipment. 

17

18 


MC# 5474-01 

Flooring made from 

recycled bicycle inner tubes. 

This handmade, handloomed 

100% recycled rubber 

rug is made by looping 

recycled bicycle tubes and 

weaving them into 100% 

wool backing. The pile 

height is 35 mm (1.4 in) and 

the rug is 170 x 240 cm (67 

x 94.5 in). 

MC# 5472-01 

Removable vinyl wall decals 

for interior and exterior 

applications. These die-cut, 

100% polyvinyl chloride 

(PVC) decals incorporate 

a removable adhesive that 

will affix to any smooth, 

flat surface. The decals are 

available in more than 50 

colors and 35 patterns. 

MC# 5359-05 

Rigid melamine sheets that 

incorporate a decorative 

layer. These low-cost, formaldehyde-free 

panels are 

manufactured from 55% 

melamine resin, 40% cellulose, 

and 5% cloth. The 

melamine paper surface 

has a hand-painted design. 

MC# 5497-02 

Metal sheet that has been 

slit and expanded to create 

a mesh of uniformly spaced 

openings. These hot-dip 

galvanized or chromiumplated 

milled steel forms 

are rigid, though they may 

be curved and bent according 

to needs. 

MC# 5486-01 

This stainless steel “chainmail” 

has been developed 

with a ring diameter of 12.0 

mm (0.472 in) with a wire 

gauge of 1.10 mm (0.043 

in). Applications are for 

safety fences, blast protection 

for buildings, interior 

drapery, and other interior 

and exterior architectural 

accents. 

MC# 5436-01 

Insulating tubing that 

shrinks when heated. Polyvinyl 

chloride (PVC) tubing 

shrinks when heated, 

proving a protective and insulating 

coating for objects 

of various shapes. Applications 

include insulation for 

wiring as well as protective, 

waterproof coatings for any 

object. 

MC# 5498-01 

Decorative glass sheet that 

incorporates an interlayer 

of resin and textile. Textiles 

are laminated between 

the glass sheets using a 

polyvinyl butyral (PVB) 

layer. Customization of the 

decorative layer is possible. 

The sheets may be curved. 

Natural fiber rug that has 

a deep pile height. These 

100% New Zealand wool 

rugs are woven using felted 

wool loops in ten patterns 

with a pile height of up to 

2 3/4 in (70 mm). They are 

backed with a woven jute 

and cotton mat. They are 

woven 12 ft (3.66 m) wide. 

MC# 5503-01 

MC# 4791-03 MC# 5091-04 

MC# 5438-01 

Non-stick enamel coating 

that offers higher temperature 

resistance than 

existing non-stick surfaces. 

Porcelain and PTFE enamel 

that is bonded to metal. 

The coatings are typically 

used as an ultimate-quality, 

highly durable, and sanitary 

finish on appliances. 

Sheets of decorative glass 

tiles secured by a polymer 

grid. These mosaics are 

created by cutting squares 

of clear float glass and 

coating one surface with 

a colored layer of paint. 

They are then adhered to a 

flexible backing of PVB that 

holds them perpendicular 

to and equidistant from 

each other. 

Structural building panels 

that utilize a formaldehydefree, 

soy-based binder. 

These building panels are 

comprised of one of four 

core materials, faced in veneer. 

The wheat straw fiber 

is annually renewable and 

was historically considered 

to be agricultural waste. 

MC# 5441-01 

Additives to paints, inks, 

resins, and coatings that 

“tag” the material with 

a unique code. These 

microtaggants are a unique 

numeric code sequence 

in a multiple colored layer 

format. Applications are 

for security tagging of 

packaging, products, and 

written data.

Contact information for the manufacturers of the materials on these pages is available in Material ConneXion’s 

online library database www.materialconnexion.com. Refer to the MC#. For information on how to become 

a Library User e-mail us at access@materialconnexion.com. 

MC# 5442-01 

MC# 5444-01 

MC# 5446-01 

MC# 5453-01 

MC# 5463-01 

MC# 5462-02 

A two-step sublimation 

printing process in which a 

substrate is printed with sublimation 

dyes. Then dry heat 

and pressure are applied to 

the paper so that the image 

is dyed into the substrate 

surface. For printing onto any 

hard solid surfacing material. 

Coating that contains an iron 

filler for wood and woodbased 

surfaces. This flameretardant 

filler composed of 

ferro-magnetic particulates 

and a bonding agent can 

be applied to wood or wood 

composite surfaces. 

Pultruded composites that 

use carbon fiber roving 

for strength. These rigid 

profiles are produced using 

unidirectional fiber roving, 

which provides longitudinal 

strength. Applications 

include aerospace structural 

profiles, racing car profiles, in 

bridge construction, and for 

molded parts. 

Wool textiles with various 

3-dimensional patterns. 

These textiles are handmade 

from 100% wool felt and 

woven. Patterns are created 

by twisting and/or stitching 

different pieces of fabric 

together. The textiles are sold 

by the square meter and are 

available in a standard range 

of colors and textures. 

Polymer mosaic squares 

and discs for interior wall 

and counter surfaces. These 

100% polyester (PET) colored 

chips are an alternative 

to glass or ceramic and are 

offered in 80 basic and 26 

marble colors. 

Woven fabric that incorporates 

cotton fiber and 

yarn for decorative effect. 

Bunches of cotton fibers are 

woven in parallel lines into 

un-colored cotton to create 

fabric that is 500, 600, 

700, 800, or 900 cm (19.68, 

23.62, 27.56 31.5 or 35.4 

in) wide. 

MC# 5443-01 

MC# 4108-02 

MC# 5452-01 

MC# 5462-01 

MC# 5464-01 

MC# 5467-01 

Concrete-like composite material 

that incorporates sand 

and household waste plastic. 

75% silica sand and 25% 

mixed polymer regrind from 

recycling plants are bonded 

together using heat (300°C; 

572°F) and pressure. Any 

extruded or molded shape is 

possible. 

A rapid prototyping process 

for creating thermoplastic 

three-dimensional models. A 

software program (generating 

an .stl file) first “slices” 

the object into thin layers. 

Then a computer-aided 

design (CAD) file controls the 

laying down of thermoplastic 

material in thin layers according 

to the .stl file. 

Electrically conductive, 

low-weight, high-strength, 

flexible Zylon® (polyphenylene 

bisoxazole, PBO)/metal 

hybrid yarn. Applications 

include EMI shielding, 

aerospace, computing, and 

electronic textiles. 

Woven decorative textile 

that incorporates an herb 

for fragrance. The woven 

paper is 90% herb (warp) 

and 10% cotton (weft), with 

widths 500, 600, and 700 

mm (19.68, 23.62, and 27.56 

in). No chemicals are used to 

create the fragrance. 

Handmade floor and wall 

covering that uses rope-like 

tendrils to create a thick 

pile. This 20% sisal, 80% 

cotton woven rug is glued 

to a mesh backing to ensure 

solidity. The rugs may be 

waterproofed. 

Pile fabrics that mimic fur. 

These 100% acrylic or 100% 

polyester textiles are available 

jacquard or loop knit; 

yarn, drop, or fiber dyed, and 

with a pile length of 5-100 

mm (0.2 – 3.94 in). Available 

in flame-retardant, waterrepellent, 

anti-bacterial, and 

anti-odor versions and in a 

wide range of colors. 

19

you make the choice. 

Zambaiti 

PCF Natural Living line 

NatureWorks ® PLA glasses 

Heimtextil Creative Gallery 

ADVERTISEMENT 

NatureWorks LLC, the first company to offer a family of commercially 

available polymers derived from 100% annually renewable 

resources (marketed under the NatureWorks ® PLA brand for 

packaging applications and Ingeo fibers for textile products), 

is proud to participate in Material ConneXion’s Terra Matter 

program, a key event coinciding with Ingeo Earth Month. 

A revolutionary biopolymer, 

NatureWorks ® PLA is the world’s 

first greenhouse gas neutral 

polymer 1 . It is the base resin 

used to create a new breed of 

compostable packaging solutions 

such as service trays, cutlery, and 

water bottles. It is also the basis for 

Ingeo fiber, from which a range of 

new, high-performance alternatives 

to both wovens and nonwovens 

for apparel and home is made. 

Our partners are committed 

to nurturing and developing 

responsible and innovative 

products that are beautiful to touch 

and wear and that often outperform 

the competition. Together with 

NatureWorksLLC, they are 

participating in Ingeo Earth Month 

2006. 

April 22 nd is United Nations Earth 

Day, a time when we can all 

reflect on global environmental 

issues. It marks the launch 

of Ingeo Earth Month, 

Armani Collezioni shirt 

which will continue until May 

31 st . During this period, our retail 

and brand partners will take the 

opportunity to showcase their very 

best Ingeo fiber products and to 

demonstrate their commitment to 

the message and motivation behind 

Ingeo Earth Month. In 2006, 54 

brands will participating by selling 

a wide variety of products for the 

home, the wardrobe, and even for 

personal care in at least 650 stores 

worldwide. 

For more details on what is 

happening, or on products, 

partners, and point of sale, visit 

www.ingeofibers.com. 

One key event that we are involved 

with during Ingeo Earth Month is 

Material ConneXion’s symposium, 

Terra Matter: Inspire, Innovate, 

Sustain, which promotes a 

message of responsible innovation. 

It will be presented May 19 th at the 

Equitable Center and May 20 th at 

the International Contemporary 

1 Based on the purchase of renewable energycertificates by NatureWorksLLC 

*Compostable in industrial composting facilities where available

enjoy the difference. 

Univisio duvets Roda cushion 

NaturAll Baby Wipes by W.I.P. 

Aquavibe bio-energetic living water 

how it’s made 

“Ingeo” means ingredients from 

the earth, and is derived entirely 

from more sustainable agricultural 

resources like corn. In other words, 

it begins with an abundant, natural 

raw material that can be easily and 

efficiently produced year after year. 

The extracted starch is put through 

a simple process to make plant 

sugars. The sugars are fermented in 

a process similar to making yogurt. 

Then the fermentation products are 

transformed into a high-performance 

polymer called polylactide, which 

is branded NatureWorks® PLA. 

Ingeo fiber is extruded from this 

polymer. 

ADVERTISEMENT 

Furniture Fair, both in New York City. 

At Terra Matter, Natureworks LLC will 

present its mission for sustainability 

and invite selected partners to share 

their own experiences. The central 

expression of the project will be an 

exhibition titled Live the dream, the 

future of sustainable living, where 

attendees will be able to experience 

eco-friendly products for themselves. 

Ingeo fiber will be featured in the 

exhibition through the presentation 

of the Ingeo Creative Gallery, a 

showcase demonstrating the diversity 

of commercially available applications, 

with cutting edge fashion from 

Boudicca, Linda Loudermilk, Armani, 

Moral Fervour and naturevsfuture®. 

For the home, try pillows from Pacific 

Coast Feather, blankets from Zambaiti 

and Univisio, and also the new 

generation of diposable nonwovens 

from HealthQuest’s “Earth friendly 

baby ® ” wipes, and diapers from W.I.P., 

as well as the first official Ingeo Earth 

Month water from Aquavibe in a new 

bottle created from NatureWorks ® PLA 

and much more. 

This exhibition will be held at the 

Material ConneXion headquarters in 

New York City, running from April 27th 

through August 1st 2006. 

Ingeo, the only fiber made from 100% natural, annually renewable agricultural resources. Not oil. 

Ingeo, the Ingeo logo and NatureWorks are registered trademarks of NatureWorks LLC 

Boudicca 

Linda Loudermilk 

naturevsfuture ®


22 

16 

MATERIALS AT EXTREME TEMPERATURES 

by Dr. Andrew Dent 

Broken completely in half, this Liberty Ship was subject to catastrophic 

brittle fracture in the cold waters off the shores of Maine, New England. 

Objects generally appear still and coherent, 

but the molecules they’re made of vibrate. At 

hotter temperatures they vibrate like crazy, 

and might even move about; at colder temperatures, 

they vibrate hardly at all. For all materials, 

transitioning from solid to liquid state 

(changing phase) just means that the molecules 

vibrate enough to break the bonds that 

hold them together; transitioning the other 

way means that the molecules slow their vibrating 

enough to form bonds. This is true for 

the molecules in polar-expedition lip balm as 

for those in the hot section of a jet engine. 

Simple as this seems, scientists have devoted 

careers to figuring out in detail how materials 

behave at different temperatures. (To 

be precise, scientists are really interested 

not in temperature per se, but rather in the 

kinetic energy of a material, or how fast the 

molecules are vibrating.) This is because all 

materials react uniquely to energy. 

When trying to gauge which material is best 

for a certain temperature-sensitive application, 

we can rely on some rather intuitive rules 

of thumb—up to a point. For instance, when 

specifying materials for hot applications, use 

metals. (Caveat: The useable temperature 

for metals varies widely!) Even better are 

engineering ceramics, for which the maximum 

service temperature is more than 1800ºF. For 

temperatures below freezing, polymers are often 

a good choice, not least because they have 

low thermal conductivity: you can touch your 

tongue to a plastic pipe in winter and pull it 

away unscathed. 

However, if performance at a particular temperature 

is key to your materials problem, perhaps 

you will find the information below helpful. 

Glass Transition Temperature (T g ) 

Roughly defined, a plastic’s glass transition 

temperature (T g ) is the temperature at which 

its chemical structure goes from crystalline to 

amorphous. When plastics experience temperatures 

below their T g , they become rigid and can 

crack and shatter, like glass. Polystyrenes and 

acrylic are typically used below their T g , thus 

they are hard and brittle. Elastomers and polyolefins, 

on the other hand, are used above their 

T g , thus they are softer and more flexible. T g is a 

very important property when specifying composites, 

predominantly because the polymer 

binder is relied upon for flexibility. 

Ductile to Brittle Transition Temperature (DBTT) 

In metals, a similar property, the ductile to brittle 

transition temperature (DBTT), appertains

to certain structures of metals. At this temperature, 

which is often the lowest temperature at 

which a structural engineering material can be 

considered useful, a metal will fail in a brittle 

manner rather than in a ductile manner. That 

is, it will shatter rather than bend before giving 

way. The DBTT is very sensitive to alloy composition 

and processing. This makes it a useful 

criterion for quality control. 

The notorious catastrophe that befell the World 

War II Liberty ships illustrates the importance 

of considering DBTT. When launched in cold, 

northern waters, the steel hulls of the Liberty 

ships split in half. Evidently a hapless engineer 

had forgotten that the DBTT of some steel 

roughly coincides with the freezing point of water. 

Of course, one person’s catastrophe is another 

person’s good fortune. Aristotle Onassis 

purchased these ships for a pittance and, with 

them, created a shipping empire. He knew that 

in warmer, equatorial waters, they were completely 

safe. 

Materials at elevated temperatures 

It is important to remember that the description 

“solid” is a relatively general term that 

Brittle fracture in steel. This micrograph of the fracture 

surface shows the cleavage along crystal planes that 

absorbs little energy. 

refers to a range of material behaviors. On 

their way to becoming liquids, some solid 

materials transition through a viscous, 

gooey state (e.g. molten magma). However, 

long before this solid to liquid transition 

happens, the material loses its mechanical 

performance. Aluminum melts at around 

1220ºF but is of little use in any structural 

application above 360ºF. Polymers behave 

similarly, with the softening point typically 

falling at 70% of their melting point. Exceptionally, 

the upper limits of ceramics’ 

operating temperatures are much closer to 

their melting points. 

Materials at low temperatures 

Absolute zero (0 Kelvin [0K], -273.15ºC, 

-459.7ºF) is as cold as anything can get. At this 

temperature the molecules in an object cease 

to move. It is actually impossible to reach this 

temperature, though we’ve got within a few 

millionths of a degree. The coldest naturally occurring 

place we know of is deep space, a very 

chilly 3K. In fact, this slight temperature elevation 

above 0K is the best evidence we have that 

the Big Bang actually occurred. 

The most significant change in material properties 

at below-ambient (or below-room) temperatures 

is the increasing brittleness of the 

material, but there are also other properties 

that manifest very close to 0K. 

These include superconductivity (which you 

can read about in our last issue of matter) and 

superfluidity, a semiconductor-like property 

that results in the complete loss of viscosity. 

This creates impressive and somewhat mindboggling 

effects such as: When a superfluid is 

placed in an open container it will rise up the 

sides and flow over the top. And: If the fluid’s 

container is rotated from stationary, the fluid 

Ductile fracture in the same steel. Breakage at a higher 

temperature is ductile. This takes a lot more energy to break. 

The fracture surface shows plastic deformation of the steel. 

inside will not move relative to the container. 

(In the last case, the viscosity of the liquid is 

zero, so any part of the liquid or its container 

can move at any speed without affecting any of 

the surrounding fluid.) 

The best part about most materials is that they 

tend to perform in ways we like them to at the 

temperatures that humans like. Few materials 

are helpful to humanity at 3000ºF, but then, 

how many situations do you need (or want to be 

around) that require that kind of temperature? 

That said, if we decide that Mercury is a viable 

place to colonize, then all bets are off. 


17 23


24 

SMART FABRICS 

The Next Generation 

by Dr. Cynthia Tyler 

Smart fabrics are gaining momentum as the 

technology finally makes it out of the laboratory 

and becomes relevant to a variety of industries 

where energy savings and human well being are 

important. 

The recent Intertech Smart Fabrics Conference 

in Miami Beach, Florida, was devoted to smart 

fabrics, materials that respond to or interact with 

electrical or environmental stimuli such as heat, 

humidity, UV, or pressure. The diverse audience 

included scientists and engineers from corporations, 

start-ups, and academia; textile companies 

seeking potential partners; investment banks 

and venture capital firms desiring to profit from 

this emerging field; product designers, and representatives 

from the military. For those of you 

who couldn’t make it, here are a few highlights. 

Phase Change Material 

Textile Testing & Innovation LLC presented a 

durable salt hydrate phase change material. Its 

name may seem complicated, but this material 

could reduce gas consumption, a feat we can all 

appreciate. 

Phase change materials (PCMs) require a large 

amount of energy to change their state from 

solid to liquid. When solid PCMs turn liquid, they 

draw much more energy (or heat) out of their 

surroundings than do regular materials. Because 

they take heat away without soon becoming hot 

themselves, they have a cooling effect. 

Incorporating PCMs into cars’ seats, headliners, 

and instrument panels would reduce dependency 

on air conditioning systems, which use up a 

lot of gas. In the United States alone, the estimated 

savings are expected to exceed 522 million 

gallons of fuel per year. Cooling by PCMs 

should also be gentler on interior materials; 

in addition, PCMs insulate against sound. 

Simple. Elegant. 

Photo: © Sauquoit Industries, LLC.

Photo: © Textronics 

Photo: © Textile Testing Innovations, LLC 

Conducting Polymer 

Eeonyx debuted EeonTex, a conductive polymer 

(polypyrrole, PPY) coating applied to practically 

any textile, from Kevlar to Lycra. The coating 

has excellent adhesion, long term stability 

(confirmed with aging tests), and is insoluble in 

water, acids, and solvents. Applications for this 

product are wide reaching, from uniformly heating 

resistive heaters to surgical gowns (where 

electrostatic dissipation is important to prevent 

electromagnetic interference) to radar-shielding 

curtains and dynamic pressure sensors for custom 

shoe design. 

Etched Circuit 

Sauquoit Industries, LLC proudly demonstrated 

a working populated circuit with a functional 

buzzer and LED. The innovation? The circuit was 

etched onto fabric (the company markets this 

advance as CircuiteX). In a nutshell, here’s how 

it is made: a stencil is placed over a textile that 

contains silver-metallized fibers; only the noncircuit 

regions are etched. The result maintains 

the original hand of the textile, allowing it to be 

folded and draped. 

The technology conforms to existing printed 

circuit board manufacturing, and the final product 

is more flexible and cost effective than the 

currently available flexible circuits composed of 

Mylar® polyester film and copper foil. 

Engineers in the automotive and aerospace industries, 

who are always looking for ways to 

shave off pounds, should find CircuitexT intriguing. 

Sauquoit Industries is also currently partnering 

with companies that serve the medical 

and apparel industries. 

PCMs incorporated into a car seat 

NuMetrix Sports Bra 

Any woman who has worn a heart monitor 

chest strap will appreciate the comfort of the 

NuMetrix sports bra from Textronics, one of 

the first commercially available garments incorporating 

smart fabrics. A stretchy conductive fabric 

in the chest band accurately senses heart rate 

and a small, snap-in transmitter, removed during 

washing, sends data to a heart rate-monitoring 

watch. It can also communicate with some fitness 

machines with integrated monitoring devices such 

as treadmills and elliptical trainers. A man’s T-shirt 

is planned for this year. 

SmartShirt 

Sensatex presented SmartShirt, a T-shirt that 

knows whether you’re breathing, walking, standing, 

or have fallen…or are even alive (it senses 

heart beat as well). The soft, washable T-shirt is 

woven through with a conductive fiber grid composed 

of woven optical and metal fibers. Information 

is relayed wirelessly for remote analysis. 

Not surprisingly, the technology was originally 

developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute 

of Technology with funding from the Defense 

Advanced Research Projects Agency to monitor a 

soldier’s location and send vital signs to medics. It 

also has obvious relevance to first response teams 

and managed and infant care facilities. Sensatex 

will soon release a beta commercial version to collect 

research data. A commercial product launch 

is planned for late 2006. 

PowerPlastic 

PowerPlastic, currently under development by 

Konarka Technologies, is a low-cost, lightweight, 

flexible polymer photovoltaic (PV) material that 

promises to make solar power even greener: it is 

free from the toxic chemicals cadmium and gallium, 

unfortunately present in other PVs. Furthermore, 

it can be printed upon, and, compared 

to silicon PVs, it offers greater light sensitivity 

resulting in higher power density. Built-in power 

generation capability shouldn’t be too far off. 

True, the conversion efficiency is below average 

(7.5% compared to 12%, with some PVs as high 

as 20%). Hopefully further research will quickly 

close that gap. 

Even as it is, PowerPlastic opens up many new 

product opportunities: camouflage military uniforms 

or tent materials, backpacks and handbags 

with logos, awnings, shades or glass films for windows, 

cell phones with built-in power generation, 

and PVs for roofs with the appearance of shingles. 

This is an exciting green development. 


25


26 

TRANSPARENT 

SUSTAINABILITY 

by Lindsey Clark 

The sustainability movement has long struggled 

with an identity crisis of sorts; call it granola, hippie, 

or any other pejorative 70s-reference that 

comes to mind. But with the growing availability 

of eco-friendly materials—not to mention their 

lowered cost, relative price stability, and improved 

performance—products, apparel, buildings, and 

the other stuff in our lives can now be green while 

appearing free from a restrictive environmental 

agenda. In this sense, sustainability, as perceived 

by the average person, is becoming increasingly 

transparent. And this is good news, because as 

much as the average consumer cares about sustainability, 

he or she probably wants to balance 

that concern against others, like function, cost, 

and style, none of which are superficial. 

Biopolymers, most notably PLA, are beginning 

to be commercialized and substituted for petroleum-based 

polymers in cars, product packaging, 

and apparel. With the price of oil climbing steadily 

higher (hovering at about $71 per barrel at the 

moment), freedom from petroleum-based polymers 

is beneficial from both the environmental 

and the economic standpoint. Even the electronics 

industry is starting to open up to the use of 

PLA. In the spring of 2005, Fujitsu introduced the 

world’s first notebook computer with a 50% biopolymer/50% 

petroleum-based polymer housing. 

The FMV-BIBLO NB80K does not appear different 

than that of competing notebook computers; 

however, the company calculates the reduction 

of CO2 emissions caused by the PLA content at 

15% over the entire life cycle of the product. While 

Fujitsu’s computer is far from realizing the true 

cradle-to-cradle ideal, it demonstrates how valuable 

any progress is. Regretfully, this product is 

not yet sold in America. 

Thanks to the efforts of Los Angeles-based 

American Apparel ® , even tirelessly fashionable 

View of Tower from Bryant Park

Images: © dbox for Cook + Fox Architects LLP 

hipsters can now be accidental environmentalists. 

Not only has the cotton apparel retailer embraced 

responsible manufacturing processes, it has also 

built a very successful (and damned sexy) business 

out of it. Originally conceived as a vertically-integrated, 

sweatshop-free T-shirt company, 

American Apparel has grown to become the nation’s 

largest T-shirt manufacturer. The company’s 

business ethic inevitably influenced their attitude 

regarding materials, with the 2003 launch of the 

Sustainable Edition ® . The line now encompasses 

16 different items for both children and adults 

in 100% USDA Certified Organic Cotton. Most of 

their most popular styles from other lines are 

available in organic cotton as well. The company 

aims for 80% overall use of organic cotton by 

2007. Of course, American Apparel addresses the 

issue of sustainability and style directly on their 

website: “By no means in integrating environmentally 

friendly fabric does this compromise American 

Apparel’s style and youth-driven fashion for 

environmental ethics.” Of course, as sustainability 

continues to mature, there should not be a need 

for this type of disclaimer. 

The new Bank of America Tower at 1 Bryant Park 

in New York City is an outstanding example of the 

harmonious combination of environmental concern 

and design integrity. As the first high-rise 

office tower to strive for a LEED platinum designation, 

the crystalline structure has redefined the 

standard of sustainable architecture. Glass, the 

primary visual component of the building, both 

enables the faceted, crystal-like appearance of 

the building and acts as an insulating skin. The 

extremely translucent, floor-to-ceiling windows 

are made of low-e insulating glass with advanced, 

double-wall technology. While offering fantastic 

views of the surrounding city (including the 

Empire State Building), the windows also dissipate 

the sun’s heat. 

1 Bryant Park’s Urban Garden Room 

Less visible, but equally important to the building’s 

environmental footprint, are the structural materials 

and systems. The construction uses a minimum 

of 50% recycled material, with a minimum of 50% 

manufactured within 500 miles of the site. For 

the concrete foundation, 45% of the cement was 

replaced with blast furnace slag, a by-product of 

steel production. Approximately one ton of CO2 is 

saved per ton of replaced concrete. The building 

also integrates a gray-water system that captures 

and re-uses all rainwater and wastewater, saving 

10.3 million gallons of water annually. Finally, an 

onsite, 5.1-megawatt combined cycle co-generation 

plant will meet the building’s energy requirements 

cleanly and efficiently. 

If architecture could be considered a macro methodology 

for sustainability, furniture design is its micro 

counterpart. An overwhelmingly polluting industry, 

furniture manufacture offers many opportunities 

for improvement. One elegant solution is Imprint, 

a cellulose-based, molded chair by Lammhults. This 

chair mimics the curves of the Eames’ shell chair 

but is made with a much more eco-friendly material 

than the fiberglass that was previously used. This 

chair is produced from rectangular, flexible sheets 

of cellulose fibers that rigidized with heat and pressure 

in a mold. The resulting form takes advantage 

of the strength of wood and the versatility of 

plastic. To create rich, textural surface effects, the 

cellulose can be mixed with such natural fibers as 

spruce, coconut, and oak. 

With eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes 

becoming the standard among new design 

projects, increasing levels of sustainability in your 

design practice are within reach. There is now the 

opportunity to integrate sustainability seamlessly 

within a design aesthetic, with no Birkenstocks or 

patchouli required. What are you doing to green 

your design? 


“Imprint Shell Chair” by Lammhults 

27


28 

THE GREEN HOUSE 

New Directions in Sustainable 

Architecture and Design 

by Alanna Stang 

For decades, cutting-edge architecture and 

sustainable design have existed in separate 

camps: the leaders of each field had little to 

say to each other. In the world of contemporary 

residential design, sustainability ranked 

well below considerations of style and cost. 

Many sophisticated designers believed that 

high-quality or cutting-edge architecture and 

interior design had little chance of making an 

aesthetic statement if environmental issues 

or energy efficiency took precedence. The 

environmental movement, for its part, was 

suspicious of the world of star architects, 

interior designers, and their style-conscious 

patrons. And green builders tended to concentrate 

their energies either on tinkering 

Interior views of the Mill Valley Straw-Bale House 

The Mill Valley Straw-Bale House, San Francisco 

with their own residences or putting up experimental 

structures that many architects 

and critics dismissed as ugly or eccentric. 

Beginning in the 1990s, however, avant-garde 

designers and the leaders of the sustainability 

movement began to move toward common 

ground. 

The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable 

Architecture and Design is the first major 

exhibition to explore the fruits of this collaboration—the 

new, eco-friendly domestic environment. 

And while the show covers many issues, 

from wisely siting the house to using the 

sun effectively, a major focus is the dramatic 

increase in new green materials and retail out-

Photos: © Edward Caldwell 

lets in which to buy them that have proliferated 

due to the mainstreaming of sustainable 

design. 

The show advocates choosing materials according 

to various criteria. Some natural 

materials, such as fast-growing trees and 

agricultural products, are rapidly renewable. 

Other products can be reused or recycled 

once no longer needed, or are long lasting 

and require little maintenance. Waste can 

be eliminated by choosing products that are 

biodegradable or recyclable and are certified, 

salvaged, or reclaimed. Finally, the concept 

of embodied energy is introduced by asking 

the visitor to the exhibition to consider how 

much energy was required to extract, process, 

package, transport, install, and recycle or dispose 

of materials that make up their homes. 

Up to 70% of the total energy invested in a 

building’s construction is embodied in the materials 

themselves, and the show recommends 

that people buy locally produced products 

and materials whenever possible to reduce 

additional energy use and pollution associated 

with transportation. 

Of the 21 houses featured as eco-friendly in 

The Green House, three are of special interest 

because of their materials. The first is the 

Mill Valley Straw-Bale House (2001), located 

outside of San Francisco and designed by 

Arkin Tilt Architects. A “truth” window offers an 

inside view of the walls constructed of straw 

bales with a sprayed-earth finish and a structural 

system that provides efficient insulation 

as well as supporting walls. The roof is insulated 

with cellulose, a material derived from 

recycled newspapers and covered in strawboard 

panels. Other green interior features 

include columns of unfinished eucalyptus logs 

harvested from the site, kitchen countertops 

of recycled glass, salvaged doors, re-milled 

cedar trim, a system for compost built into 

the kitchen counter, and bins for recyclables 

accessed from both indoors and outdoors. 

Designed by Werner Sobek and built on a 

steep hillside outside Stuttgart, the “R128” 

house is a very different example of innovative 

materials usage. Its sleek, impeccable 

design projects an aesthetic ambition rarely 

seen in sustainable building, representing an 

imaginative compendium of ideas about green 

design, energy conservation, and recycling. 

Photo: © Undine Pröhl 

MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Limited, Brian MacKay-Lyons, Designer 

Designed to be installed and dismantled with 

minimal impact on the land, its modular building 

components can be easily detached and 

recycled. With an interlayer of metal-coated 

plastic foil that deflects long infrared rays, 

the triple-glazed panels of the façade have an 

extremely low heat transmission value. Watercooled 

panels in the ceiling absorb solar heat, 

which is stored and released through ceiling 

radiators in cold months. Because it is completely 

self-sustaining, the house produces no 

emissions. And its three-dimensional transparency 

allows residents to feel close to nature. 

The Howard House, Nova Scotia, incorporates local 

materials and passive solar collection. 

Finally, one of the most fascinating houses featured 

in The Green House is a meditation on a 

single building material, one of the most renewable: 

bamboo. Located in the shadow of China’s 

Great Wall, the Great (Bamboo) Wall, designed 

by Kengo Kuma & Associates, is as much about 

bamboo as constructed from it. Taking its cues 

from the Great Wall, the house features a wall 

made of bamboo stalks arranged in bunches 

along the longitudinal axis, a showcase for the 

material’s ability to be sculptural, cast shadows, 

and add rhythm and texture to facades. 

In contrast to the massive Great Wall, however, 

the house’s fragile-looking construction suggests 

the easy transfer of light and breezes. 

Constructed in a private development of villas 

north of Beijing, the house demonstrates that 

luxurious modesty and eco-efficiency do not 

have to be mutually exclusive. 


29


30 

INSIDE THE BOX 

by Phil Patton 

DNA spectroscopy, quantum physics, and super 

computers all have changed the world of materials. 

But so has a far more mundane invention, 

which is now celebrating its fiftieth anniversary. 

Containerized shipping, symbolized by the standardized 

big box, has made new materials available 

around the globe and old ones more accessible. 

The first boxes were loaded on a ship in 1956. 

The idea came, improbably, from a small-time, 

North Carolinian trucker named Malcolm McLean. 

Originally, unions fought the new technology; 

the Pentagon endorsed it to supply troops in 

Vietnam. Today, 8 by 8 by 20 foot containers are 

now tracked across oceans by satellite and radio, 

ensuring that parts arrive at factories together and 

products arrive just when buyers want them. 

Once the change began, the culture of the 

New York piers and the world of the Brooklyn longshoremen 

as depicted in the 1954 classic On the 

Waterfront, was doomed. Meanwhile, harbors at 

Busan, Korea, and Seattle boomed, and new ports 

were built in places like Felixstowe, England, and 

Tanjung Pelepas, in Malaysia. 

Shipping containers blurred the lines between 

modes of shipping: sea, rail, and truck. Once, a 

huge part of shipping costs lay in “break work,” 

the labor of the longshoreman, which consisted of 

transferring boxes and bags from ship to rail car or

Photo: Untitled, 2003 by Frank Breuer; Courtesy of Fiedler Contemporary 

truck. With that task removed, shipping prices fell 

dramatically. Such retailers as Wal-Mart and Ikea 

are inconceivable without containerized shipping. 

Toyota tracks engines from Japanese factories by 

GPS and RFD so they arrive at Canadian assembly 

lines to be installed almost down to the minute. 

Critical as the boxes are to our economy, we see 

them only rarely, at the edge of the water, the 

airport, or the highway. When they make appearances 

in movies and on TV, they tend to be associated 

with the seamier side of trade. The boxes’ 

very ubiquity and hard-shelled uniformity make 

them the perfect cover. 

Only recently, for political and security reasons, 

we have begun to notice the boxes. We worry 

about who controls the ports and piers that load 

and unload them. 

But artists, photographers, and architects have 

been noticing them for a while. Photographer 

Edward Burtynsky sees the stacking and sorting 

of boxes on the docks as an “unintentional architecture.” 

In his images, shipping containers, piled 

four or six high, combine a playful, kid’s-block 

quality with the wear and grit of the real world. 

They are symbols of the global economy, Legos 

of the New Order. 

Burtynsky says, “I began to see containers as conduits 

for globalization. These are the things that 

make it happen. … We all partake of [the global 

economy] but rarely see it. We are normally disconnected 

from it.” 

A different approach to containers is that of 

German photographer Frank Breuer, who studied 

with Berndt and Hilla Becher. 

Breuer, who taught at Harvard last year and has 

shown his work at the Rocket Gallery in London, 

the Feigen Gallery in New York and the Fiedler 

Gallery in Cologne, spends a lot of time around 

ports looking for arrangements that please him. 

He is fascinated by the abstraction of the colors 

and modular, scale-less quality of the boxes. He 

looks for just the right stacks; Antwerp, he told 

me, was an especially good port for his purposes. 

Burtynsky, too, is drawn to the ports. His photos of 

them “are meant as metaphors to the dilemma of 

our modern existence; they search for a dialogue 

Photo: © LOT-EK 

between attraction and repulsion, seduction and 

fear. We are drawn by desire—a chance at good 

living, yet we are consciously or unconsciously 

aware that the world is suffering for our success.” 

The boxes represent trends in trade. In the U.S. 

and Europe says Burtynsky, “Because of the trade 

imbalance, there is a huge oversupply of empty 

containers, so people try to figure out how to reuse 

them. It costs too much to send them back 

empty.” 

3x3 CHK (Container Home Kit) by LOT-EK 

For this reason, they have been salvaged for storage 

spaces. Construction crews these days often 

turn shipping boxes into their own crude architecture 

for on-site offices and storage. 

Over the last few years, architects have begun 

highly publicized experiments with recycling the 

containers in building. They have been used for 

dwellings by the firm LOT/EK. Shigeru Ban, known 

for paper and cardboard buildings, assembled 

them into a huge temporary museum on the 

Manhattan waterfront. In London, artists now 

live and work in two dwelling complexes called 

Container Cities—a good symbol of the extent to 

which our lives have become inseparable from 

these anonymous boxes. 


31

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