Michael Langone
Tool: Materials Are Hot
Inventables, a product innovation consultancy, sends out DesignAid packets of materials to a client list that includes Motorola, Samsung, and General Motors. They contain the latest new materials, preselected and offered up as a springboard for "Eureka!" moments.
Material ConneXion is a global resource center with bases in New York, Milan, Bangkok, and Cologne. Corporate clients include Nike, Aveda, and Target, to name a few, seeking inspiration for new products based on state-of-the-art fabrics, glass, plastics, and other substances (many posted on Material ConneXion's online database).
Princeton Architectural Press has a subscription-only service, "Materials Monthly," that distributes boxes containing samples of cutting-edge materials like biodegradable substances along with product histories and performance details.