There are lots of things to consider when selecting the right material for products or services that involve physical components. On the one hand, there is the functional or utilitarian performance of the material: whether it is appropriate for the task, its cost to produce and its compliance with regulations. On the other, there are the hedonic needs of the user: their experience, enjoyment and pleasure when using a product, the way it feels to be held or worn, the way it looks and how it will age over the coming months, years or even generations.
Continued on pages 104–105 of Design. Think. Make. Break. Repeat.