My parents never felt that I was college 'material'. [=that I was someone who should go to college]
Her boss regards her as executive 'material'. [=as someone who would make a good executive]
The comedian gets his 'material' from things that have happened to him.
(..) Well, we did our best. Next case. We need evidence that the Timmons place is used for dogfighting. All right, well, I found crustaceous material in the victim's car. It's an antifungal treatment used on Astroturf. That doesn't link us with dogfighting either. Yeah, it does. (..)2008 TvShow: Bones Title: The Finger in the Nest Season: 4 Episode 3