Best 8 Eco-friendly Office Chairs – Do Your Part For The Environment

The sustainability movement is picking up speed so quickly, so caught up with the times and equip your office with green office chairs.

This round-up of several eco-friendly chairs plainly illustrates the fact that environmental consciousness can easily be implemented without sacrificing good design and ergonomic features. These chairs are good for your body and environment, it’s a win-win situation.

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What is Eco in Eco-friendly Chair?

First, let’s talk about the criteria that make a chair sustainable and eco-friendly. Here are some general guidelines to keep in mind when looking for a new environmentally-friendly office chair.

Sustainable Materials

When it comes to a perfect eco-friendly office chair, recycled and low-impact natural materials are ideal. Meaning, you want to look for recycled aluminum, metal/steel and sustainably harvested hardwood. The materials you want to avoid are PVC, hexavalent chromium, phthalates, etc.

Eco-friendly Finishes

For upholstered chairs, fabrics like organic cotton, linen, hemp are a good choice. Alternatives to synthetic foam are natural organic latex, coconut fiber and organic wool. Also, recycled polyester is one of the least troublesome synthetic materials around. Choose a mesh back and seat to minimalize exposure to toxic chemicals in textiles.

Production Practice

If you think about how bulky and heavy furniture is, local production is particularly important since the emissions from shipping can really add up. We recommend you to look for domestic production and manufacturers within your city, area or state.

Cradle To Cradle Certification – For Truly Green Lovers

We don’t want you to confuse with some certifications, laws and standards, but this certification is one of the best indicators of truly environmentally friendly office chairs. So, Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Certification is a globally recognized quality certification for more sustainable products. It encourages companies to make products that are eco-friendly throughout their entire life cycle. Learn more from this TED talk.

What Eco-friendly Chair Means For The Planet?

Sustainable office chairs come with a multitude of benefits, all of which have a positive impact on the environment. Eco-friendly items are built to last, they are safe and non-toxic. The benefits of your decision get beyond just being kinder to the environment.

Conserve Resources

Recycled materials are better for the environment than virgin materials. Recycled materials save energy, for example, recycled plastic reduces energy consumption by 70%. Also, recycled materials reduce pollution, since no new items need to be dyed and treated with chemicals.

Protect Forests And Lands

When we protect forests, we allow trees to filter the air, stabilize the climate by absorbing CO2, provide habitat for many plants and animals. Eco-friendly chairs are made to produce minimum negative impact on the planet. Deforestation is a big issue today, but we can promote responsible use of wood.

What To Watch Out For In Green Office Chair?

When checking out your office chair, be sure to look for these guidelines and you’ll easily find an office chair that doesn’t have a negative impact on the planet, yet features ergonomic, aesthetic pleasant design and durable construction.

No Virgin Materials

Look for these materials – recycled aluminum, plastic or steel, FSC-certified wood, or remanufactured materials. When buying this kind of chair, there is no need for new virgin materials, also you cut out harmful manufacturing processes. Check if the chair upholstery uses non-toxic and organic materials.

Office Chair Design

Modern office chairs are often all equipped with all sorts of bells and whistles, extra add-ons. These features are usually harmful to the ecosystem. Finding a chair that is simplistic in design and doesn’t have too many extras. A chair with a mesh backrest and a seat is better than one with a big comfy cushion.

Look Out For Ergonomic Features

Working in an office involves spending many hours sitting in your office chair. Therefore, to avoid some health problems, it’s important to have an office chair that’s ergonomic. There is a number of things an ergonomic office chair should have:

• Adjustable Height – You should be able to adjust the chair height to your height. For optimal comfort, your thighs should be horizontal to the floor.
• Seat Height – Chair seat height should be easily adjustable, so look for a pneumatic adjustment lever. Standard chairs have a seat height range from 16” to 21”. If you are taller, look for big and tall executive office chairs for tall people. If you are short, check out petite office chairs.
• Lumbar Support – Adequate lower back support is very important, so choose a chair that supports the natural spine curve. A good ergonomic chair allows you to adjust lumbar height and depth.
• Armrests – Adjustable armrests allow the user to customize the armrests’ height and width. As result, you’ll have relaxed shoulders and neck.
• Swivel – Almost all ergonomic office chairs have a swivel design, it allows you to rotate and reach things without straining.

Best 8 Eco-friendly Office Chairs

Here you can find eight top-rated eco-friendly office chairs that offer pleasant aesthetic, good ergonomic features and use environmentally-friendly materials. Choose between gaming, standard, modern and fully ergonomic office chairs.

Hag Capisco Cobalt Desk Chair

This attractive office chair is available in many colors – cobalt, black, green, light blue, light green. Plus, you can choose between black, silver and white bases. This popular award-winning Hag Capsco chair uses recycled, eco-friendly materials and comes in recyclable packaging.

The manufacturer uses household plastic and natural wood material for making this office chair. It is perfectly compatible with adjustable standing desks and ordinary office desks. Its soft and wide saddle seat promotes blood circulation and encourages you to sit forward, backward and sideways.

You can adjust seat height, seat depth, back height and back tilt and have maximum comfortable sitting experience. Hag Capisco supports a max weight of up to 250 pounds. The manufacturer provides a 10-year warranty on a pneumatic lift and a 5-year warranty on wood parts, arm caps, casters.

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Herman Miller Aeron Chair

Herman Miller Aeron is an environmentally sensitive and high customizable office chair. It meets strict C2C certification standards, and it’s made up of 38% recycled content and it’s up to 91& recyclable. This Aeron chair is manufactured using 100% renewable electric energy.

This company works with suppliers who reduce environmental effects. Aeron features the PostureFit SL which supports the natural S-shape of your spine. It features an 8Z Pellicle seat and back material which evenly distributes pressure while keeping you cool and sweat-free.

It is a fully adjustable office chair, Aeron supports you through a wide range of motion, you can easily lean forward or recline back. The armrests are fully adjustable, change their height, width with ease. Aeron is available in three sizes and three colors – graphite, mineral and carbon.

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Steelcase Think Office Chair

Just like its name suggests, the Steelcase Think chair is an environmentally-conscious office chair with a smart design. It is the first-ever C2C certified and first-ever BIFMA level 3 office chair. Steelcase Think is made up of 28% recycled parts and it’s up to 95% recyclable.

To make recycling easier, this office chair can be disassembled in just five minutes using common tools. Steelcase Think is recommended for long-term use, up to 8 hours. It uses Adaptive Bolstering technology that enables the seat to conform to you when you change positions.

The Weight-Activated mechanism automatically adjusts recline resistance to your body type and weight. Other ergonomic features are adjustable seat depth, fully adjustable armrests, adjustable lumbar support, seat height adjustment, recline tension adjustment. A five-wheeled base is suitable for wooden floors and carpets.

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Hon Endorse Task Chair

Hon Endorse office chair is one of the top-rated chairs designed for office use. It is BIFMA Level 2 certified and meets high sustainability standards. This model is available in many colors, that includes black, red, blue mustard yellow, charcoal, grey and others.

The breathable mesh backrest provides air circulation and keeps your back dry. it will easily adapt to your body posture and support your back properly. Hon Endore is an eco-friendly ergonomic chair, it has an advanced tilt mechanism that reclines the back angle and fully adjustable armrests.

Control both width and height of the armrest for max comfort. Also, you can move the seat cushion back and forth depending on your preferences. It is tested and warranted for users up to 300 pounds. Endorse is backed by Hon’s full lifetime warranty.

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Laura Davidson Lexi Chair

Popular Laura Davidson brand made this Lexi soft office chair. It isn’t recyclable like the previous models but has some eco-friendly features. The manufactured uses BIFMA rated materials that are environmentally friendly, strong and durable. Lexi’s frame is made from solid steel with matching aluminum arms.

The chair’s arms are detachable, meaning, you can go without them if you want. The package includes detailed instructions, even the assembly process is pretty simple. Modern aluminum base is one of the strongest on the market, it supports over 400 lbs.

The seat and back padded cushion provide support for your back and buttock, making your sitting more comfortable. Adjust the seat height, chair height, armrest height and seat tilt with ease. Lexi office chair uses vegan leather which is safe for the environment.

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Karnox Legend Gaming Chair

We mention in the guide above that there aren’t many eco-friendly gaming chairs on the market. Still, some models have recyclable parts and meet some environmental standards. Karnox Legend gaming chair is designed for office use, has a metal frame, steel tube and meets BIFMA standards.

It is recommended for 5’4” to 5’9” people with a max weight of up to 220 pounds. Karnox features a well-padded seat, backrest and headrest. It’s wrapped in premium fabric mesh with a high-density sponge. The reclining range goes from 90 to 155 degrees.

This chair is suitable for working, gaming, reading or even napping. The heavy-duty base is equipped with nylon smooth-rolling casters for great stability and mobility. Carbon fiber armrests are fully adjustable and meet various needs.

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Humanscale Freedom Headrest Chair

Humanscale approach to manufacturing is not just to minimalize environmental impact, but also to positively influence the environment. The Freedom office chair is made predominantly of aluminum, followed by steel and plastic. It contains 62% recycled content and it’s 90% recyclable.

This office chair meets ANSI/BIFMA level 3 standards and it’s Greenguard certified. Freedom automatically adjusts to every user. This eco-friendly chair is designed to fit the majority of the population (works for people of 5’0” – 6’4”) and its weight capacity is 300 pounds.

Freedom features a weight-sensitive, self-locking recline mechanism. It uses a revolutionary counter-balance mechanism that provides perfect recline resistance automatically. Synchronous armrests move up and down providing you support. Plus, you can adjust chair height, seat height and headrest.

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Fully Standing Desk Chair

Fully brand uses Greenguard certified materials and materials with low VOC emission. This brand is certified as a B Corp, meaning it meets the highest 3rd party environment and social responsibility standards. They believe that sitting at a 90-degree position isn’t the best position for your body.

This desk chair discourages a stiff 90-degree sitting position with slightly relaxed back and knee support. Fully allows you to sit saddle style and add movement to your sitting position. It supports a weight of 330 pounds and has a sturdy five-star base with smooth-rolling casters.

The seat height and armrests height is easily adjustable, while a reclining backrest is easy to lock when you find your favorite position. Adequate lumbar support keeps your shoulders, spine and hips aligned. Breathable mesh back promotes air circulation.

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How To Recycle Your Old Office Chair?

There are a few things you can do with your old office chair to protect our environment. Don’t just throw it in a dumpster and make more garbage. Here is the list with all the possiblities when it comes to recycling:

• Bring your chair to a local vintage shop
• Bring it to the scrap dealer if the chair is mostly metal
• Check with your city and see if they offer free pick up for large items
• Hire a professional junk removal service, especially if you have plenty of old chairs
• Sell it at a discount to the new tenants
• Decoupage your chair
• If the chair is in good condition, donate it to some charity
• Try to repair it