I found out about this website from neocon last year. The producer of the site was explaining how in the design process he had been trying to find a green product that would work for his design idea. During his search he reliezed thier were now easy sites that had sample and a search database for all materials. The site is very user fiendly and is always being updated. You can also request sample and add to the database yourself.
Ecolect is a web–based company that provides information and news about sustainable materials for product design, architecture, furniture design, graphic design, and more. With headquarters in both Providence, RI and San Francisco, CA, Ecolect is the sustainable design community for individuals and businesses to learn, connect, share and discover the best in eco–materials and practices.
http://www.ecolect.net/materials