Skip to Main Content AUB

Collections: Materials Library

Located in AUB Library, the Materials Library is a collection of new and innovative product samples including ceramics, plastics, glass, paper, metals, textiles, and timber. It aims to inspire and offer ideas in support of creative practice, as well as providing a knowledge of materials, their properties, and applications.

Everyone is welcome to explore and handle the collection during Library opening hours.

The Materials Library. An image of a bank of metal drawers. Each drawer is labelled with the material type it contains such as metal, and a location code – B1.1, B1.2, and so on. The Materials Library.

Latest Samples

Material ConneXion & The Stacks

The library subscribes to Material ConneXion, a database of materials including detailed profiles, reports on applications and processes, and information about innovations and manufacture. To access, please register for a Material ConneXion account using your AUB email address.

An add-on to Material ConneXion, The Stacks contains material deep dives, sustainability webinars, manufacturer highlights, trend reports, and much more, all written by the Material ConneXion research team.

EduSeries

EduSeries is a suite of tools and resources focussing on the significant environmental impacts of fabrics, the commercially-available sustainable alternatives, and emerging innovations.

Please email library@aub.ac.uk from your AUB account to request the password to this resource.

Using the Materials Library

All of our materials are recorded in the Materials Library catalogue. The records contain detailed information about each material.
To log in, click the “Sign in with Microsoft” button and use your AUB login details. If this doesn't work for you, you can use the generic login found on this page.

New Material Feature

Featured new material: Piñatex

As seen on TV! Earthshot Prize winner Ananas Anam produce Piñatex, a sustainable alternative to leather made from the fibres of pineapple leaves, a by-product of the pineapple harvest. By repurposing agricultural waste, it reduces landfill waste and provides additional income for farming communities.

After pineapple harvest, the leaves are collected and the long fibres are extracted using semi-automatic machines. The fibres are washed then dried naturally by the sun, or in drying ovens during the rainy season. The dry fibres go through a purification process which results in a fluff-like material. This is mixed with a corn based polylactic acid (PLA) and undergoes a mechanical process to create Piñafelt, a non-woven mesh which forms the base of all Piñatex.

The samples of Piñatex are currently on display in the Materials Library.

Material image 1 Material image 2 Material image 3

Request a material

If there's a particular material you'd like to see in the Materials Library, you can make a request via this online form.

Staff Borrowing

Academic staff can arrange to borrow a curated selection of materials to use in AUB studios by completing and submitting a request form.

Additional Materials Discovery Resources

Here are some additional web resources for exploring materials and products. Please note that AUB does not subscribe to these websites, so some features may be unavailable.

Architonic - a platform exhibiting products, materials, and concepts for interior designers and architects.

Material District - a digital materials library specialising in innovative materials and solutions.

Stylepark - a product selector and magazine for architects and interior designers.

Transmaterial - a database specialising in hi-tech materials and textiles for design.