Monday, February 16th, 2015 — When it comes to the modern comforts of home, newer isnt especially better. CBS 2s Chris Martinez reports theres a reason for that: more synthetic materials than ever before. “Its in the drapes, its in the backing of the carpeting, its in pillow stuffing. Thats all synthetic material,” says John Drengenberg, an Underwriters Laboratories consumer safety director. Its in the construction of many homes, too, most commonly in the form of lightweight engineered I beams. Theyre a favorite among builders because theyre strong and cheap, experts say.