The Combo tables were designed as part of the project “Integrating Eco-Design Principles into Designer Education”, supported by the JW Fulbright Commission. The project was conducted at Purdue University in the USA. This design study shows the differences in the environmental impacts of the basic materials used in furniture production. A big challenge for us as designers was to understand how the environmental impact of individual product parts can be influenced depending on the right combination of product shape, material and production technology. The project methods consisted of comparing three almost identical tables that were designed using a combination of different materials and technologies. The outputs from the project should help designers integrate eco-design practices into the creative thinking process, as well as quantify the environmental impacts of the basic materials used in furniture production.