Case Material Question

Hi all,
I am in the process of bidding for a project that includes in its scope fabricating all the internal case elements (shelves, risers blocks, decks, etc.), all of which will be fabric-wrapped. The conservator for the museum has specified that these internals be fabricated from a non wood-based product such as HDPE or acrylic. Although I have significant experience fabricating and fabric-wrapping mdf or medex boxes, I am much less experienced working with HDPE or acrylic in this application, and am concerned that these materials might present major fabrication challenges: HDPE because nothing sticks to it, and acrylic because you can't staple to it, and both because they are heavy and expesive. My question is: has anyone else seen this material requirement at their museum? And also, does anyone know of any alternative Oddy-tested materials I might consider for this project? Please let me know if you have any more specific questions about the project. Thanks!