The appropriate use of materials and processing technologies is a decisive factor in the design process. The project series “Material als Design Impuls“, which is part of the interior design programme at the School of Design of the University of Applied Sciences Mainz, emphasises on experimental investigation of materials. In cooperation with a rotating group of industrial companies, materials and production processes and their influence on the development of design are being studied. Their potential in the field of furniture and interior product design are also being closely observed.