How do designers choose the right material for a design by understanding what each material is like?
Describe the properties of common materials - paper, card, plastics, wood, metal, glass and textiles - and select materials suited to a design's purpose
A focused answer on material properties for O-Level Design Studies. Paper, card, plastics, wood, metal, glass and textiles, their physical and aesthetic properties, and choosing materials to suit a design's purpose.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
Have a quick question? Jump to the Q&A page
Jump to a section
What this dot point is asking
This dot point asks you to describe the properties of common materials and to select materials suited to a design's purpose. Materials are the stuff designs are made from, and each has properties that make it good for some jobs and poor for others. You should know the main families (paper and card, plastics, wood, metal, glass and textiles), understand the difference between physical properties (how a material performs) and aesthetic properties (how it looks and feels), and be able to justify a material choice for a given design. In Design Studies the emphasis is on reasoning about suitability, not on heavy workshop fabrication.
The answer
Physical and aesthetic properties
Every material can be described in two ways. Physical (or functional) properties describe how it behaves and performs: strength, weight, durability, flexibility, hardness, water resistance, how it conducts heat, and how easily it can be shaped or joined. Aesthetic properties describe how it looks and feels to the senses: colour, texture, pattern, transparency and finish. A good material choice balances both: it must do the job and create the right impression. Cost, availability and environmental impact are further factors in any real choice.
Paper and card
Paper and card are lightweight, cheap, easy to print on, fold and cut, and widely recyclable. They range from thin paper to thick, rigid card. They are ideal for printed communication, packaging and models, but are weak when wet and not durable for long-term or load-bearing use. Their low cost and printability make them the workhorse of graphic and packaging design.
Plastics
Plastics are versatile: they can be moulded into almost any shape, come in any colour, and range from soft and flexible to hard and rigid. They are generally lightweight, water-resistant, durable and cheap to mass-produce. Their main drawbacks are environmental: most are made from finite resources and many are slow to break down, so sustainability is a serious consideration. They suit products, packaging and components where versatility and low cost matter.
Wood
Wood is a natural material that is relatively strong, can be cut, shaped and joined, and has a warm colour and attractive grain. It feels natural and traditional, making it popular for furniture, interiors and quality products. It can warp or rot if not treated and quality varies, but it is renewable when sourced responsibly. Wood is chosen as much for its natural aesthetic as for its strength.
Metal
Metals are strong, durable and rigid, and many resist wear well; some, like stainless steel and aluminium, resist corrosion. They can feel precise, premium and modern, and conduct heat and electricity. They are heavier and often more expensive than plastics, and harder to shape, but excellent where strength, durability and a quality feel are needed, such as structures, tools and premium products.
Glass
Glass is transparent, hard, smooth and chemically inert, giving a clean, premium, hygienic impression. It is ideal where you need to see the contents or want an upmarket feel, as in quality packaging and tableware. Its weakness is that it is brittle and shatters, and it is heavy, so it is chosen when its clarity and quality outweigh its fragility.
Textiles
Textiles are flexible, soft and available in countless colours, patterns and textures. They drape, fold and provide comfort and warmth, and suit clothing, soft furnishings and flexible products. Properties vary widely between fibres, and many require care, but their softness, flexibility and rich aesthetic range make them unique among materials.
Examples in context
Example 1. A premium versus budget pen. A luxury pen uses metal for a heavy, durable, premium feel, while a budget pen uses moulded plastic for low cost, light weight and bright colour. The same product, made for different audiences and price points, shows how material properties signal quality and shape cost.
Example 2. Drink packaging choices. A juice may come in glass for a premium, see-through, hygienic impression, or in lightweight plastic or coated card for low cost and easy transport. Each material trades clarity and quality against weight, cost and sustainability, illustrating real material decisions driven by purpose and audience.
Try this
Cue. Pick a product near you and identify its main material. List two physical properties and one aesthetic property that make the material suitable, and suggest one alternative material and its trade-off.
Cue. Choose a single object, such as a chair, and describe how it would feel and perform if made from wood, then from metal, then from plastic. Explain which suits a school classroom best and why.
Cue. For a piece of packaging, weigh two materials against cost, durability and sustainability. Recommend one, justifying your choice by matching properties to the design's purpose.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SEAB exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Original6 marksA designer is choosing a material for a reusable drinks bottle. Compare two suitable materials, describing the properties that make each appropriate.Show worked answer →
Two suitable materials, compared by property:
Stainless steel. Strong, durable, does not shatter, resists corrosion, and keeps drinks at temperature well. Heavier and more expensive, but long-lasting and premium-feeling, so it suits a durable, reusable bottle.
Hard plastic (such as a food-safe rigid plastic). Lightweight, cheap, shatter-resistant, and can be moulded into many shapes and colours. Less durable over time and can retain odours, but its lightness and low cost suit an everyday, affordable bottle.
A reasoned choice: steel for durability and premium feel; plastic for lightness, colour and low cost.
What markers reward: two appropriate materials, the relevant properties of each (durability, weight, cost, safety, appearance), and a comparison that links properties to suitability for a reusable bottle.
Original4 marksExplain the difference between a material's physical properties and its aesthetic properties, giving one example of each for wood.Show worked answer →
Physical properties describe how a material behaves and performs - its strength, weight, durability, flexibility and so on. Aesthetic properties describe how a material looks and feels to the senses - its colour, texture, pattern and finish.
For wood:
A physical property: it is relatively strong and can be cut and joined, making it good for structures and furniture.
An aesthetic property: it has a warm, natural colour and visible grain pattern, giving a design a natural, traditional feel.
What markers reward: a correct distinction (performance and behaviour versus look and feel), and one valid physical property and one valid aesthetic property of wood.
Related dot points
- Describe paper types and common print and finishing techniques, and select appropriate paper and finishes for a printed design
A focused answer on paper and print for O-Level Design Studies. Paper weight and finish, the CMYK and RGB colour models, printing methods, and finishes such as embossing, foiling and lamination.
- Describe materials and techniques used for model-making and prototyping, and select suitable materials for a model at a given stage
A focused answer on model-making for O-Level Design Studies. Paper, card, foam, clay and found materials, the difference between sketch models and presentation models, and choosing materials for the stage of a project.
- Describe common surface finishes and treatments and explain how they affect the appearance, feel, function and durability of a design
A focused answer on surface finishes for O-Level Design Studies. Matte and gloss, paint and coatings, texture treatments, protective and functional finishes, and how finish affects appearance, feel, function and durability.
- Explain sustainable design and life-cycle thinking, including the 6 Rs, and apply them to reduce a design's environmental impact
A focused answer on sustainable design for O-Level Design Studies. Life-cycle thinking, the 6 Rs (rethink, refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle), material and energy impact, and reducing a design's environmental footprint.
- Explain the circular economy and the difference between linear and circular models, and apply circular thinking to material choices in design
A focused answer on the circular economy for O-Level Design Studies. Linear versus circular models, designing out waste, keeping materials in use, recyclable and renewable materials, and circular thinking in design.