Natural and Synthetic Material

Natural Materials Natural materials are obtained from plants, animals, or the Earth (rocks, metals) Examples include: Wool (from sheep), Silk (from worms), Wood (trees), Rubber (trees), Leather (Animals), Cotton (plant), Clay (soil), Metals… Rubber

Why use natural materials? Natural materials are generally better for the environment. Most of them are biodegradable (won’t remain in landfills) Most come from renewable resources (they will be replaced over time) Ex/ Cotton plants can regrow, sheep produce more wool each year

Synthetic Materials Man-made materials are called synthetic materials. They can be made from natural materials that are combined with other chemicals. Synthetic materials can be custom designed to have desired characteristics/properties. Ex/ plastics, fibers (nylon, polyester), fiberglass

Why use synthetic materials? Synthetic materials are often designed to be stronger and more resistant to damage than any commonly available natural material. There is a limited amount of natural materials available, but a near limitless amount of potential materials that can by synthetically created. Ex/ A sheep will only produce so much wool in a certain time frame, but we can make unlimited amounts of polyester

Which is better? Natural or Synthetic? Both natural and synthetic materials have pros and cons. Natural materials often come from renewable sources, and are usually biodegradable. They may be expensive, or not as durable as synthetic materials. Synthetic materials can be harmful to the environment – they may not be biodegradable or may use non-renewable resources , but are used to make many of the objects we use and need. They can be custom designed to have useful properties, like durability.