Inventables: Materials Database
Zach Kaplan is looking out for the little guys. In 2002, he launched Inventables, an extensive library of high-tech materials from manufacturers and innovators like Dupont and 3Form. The initial price tag on a subscription to the database—$70,000-$350,000—limited access to everyone but Fortune 500 companies, Kaplan says. So in 2010, inspired by the upsurge in DIYism and maker culture, he tossed out the sky-high membership rates and tossed all the information and products online—for free. "We wanted to democratize access to all this interesting research we've done over the last eight years," Kaplan says. The result is a prototyping designer's dream: an inventors hardware store where small quantities of samples can be purchased with the click of the button and the cash in your wallet (many materials costs less then $20). "When you're a really big company, suppliers will bend over backwards to do whatever you want them to do but if you're a small company it's see you later," Kaplan says. "Designers, artists, inventors, students—we think of them as little R&Ds. They have all the passion, energy, and drive. We want to get these materials into their hands." Click through our slideshow for 14 materials available on Inventables.com that have Kaplan's juices flowing—from rubber glass to translucent concrete.
Products
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Decorative Mirror
Powder-coated steel and glass
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Earthenware Bowl
In the mid-century, “there wasn’t a hierarchy between handcrafting and mass production,” says Kaplan. This earthenware vessel designed by the Austrian-born duo Gertrud and Otto…
Dwell Collections
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Materialism: Black Is Black
We all live in a material world, but it is especially true for Material ConneXion. The pioneering international material-database and consulting agency has an ever-expanding library of over 4,500…
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Materialism: Silver Linings
The experts at Material ConneXion's sample library, who keep everyone from the designers at Adidas to Zaha Hadid on the cutting edge of innovation, culled these metallic materials for your next…
Tips
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A Palette of Material
I love incorporating old metals, new woods, and innovative fabrics when putting together the palette for a masculine space. I think a great, unexpected idea is to use men's suiting fabrics to…
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Green Table Materials
Try to get something that can be flat-packed and made of reclaimed or FSC-certified wood. Take a look at the finishes used to be sure they don’t off-gas and contribute to indoor air quality…
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The Best Material for a Lounge Chair
Consider an FSC-certified wood frame with sustainable foam padding and upholstery. There are also lounge chairs that have frames made from steel, which can be a good material because much of it is…
Events
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The Founders of Ecoshack and Materials & Applications
Stop by for an informal talk between Stephanie Smith of Ecoshack and Jenna Didier and Oliver Hess of Materials & Applications.
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Design USA: Contemporary Innovation
This exhibition features outstanding contemporary achievements in American architecture, landscape design, interior design, product design, communication design, corporate design, interaction…
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Decorative Mirror
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Could this be used to heat seating for wheelchairs?
this sounds really fun and interesting. thank you for making it possible for most
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