The invention discloses a material selecting system and a selecting method, and aims to provide a material selecting system and a selecting method suitable for large-scale production. The material selecting system comprises a multilayer conveyor, multiple manual selecting tables arranged on one side or two sides of the multilayer conveyor at intervals, a sundries collecting device for collecting sundries, an unpowered rail conveyor located between the manual selecting tables and the multilayer conveyor, and a tobacco frame located at one side of the manual selecting tables and used for containing to be selected tobacco leaf; each manual selecting table comprises a rack body, a panel arranged on the rack body and provided with a plurality of sundries falling openings, and a collecting bucket located at the lower end of the panel. The material selecting system and the selecting method can be used for effectively reducing labor amount, reducing hand labor intensity and greatly improving work environment..