Anyone who spends hours sitting at a desk knows that a good office chair is vital to their comfort and productivity. It is commonly known that having an office chair that does not suit you or the work you do will affect your concentration and could potentially lead to long term back problems. However when we think about office chairs, we don’t often consider the environmental impact the chair had before reaching us, or will continue to have after it has outlived its useful life. If you want to choose a green office chair that is friendly to you and the environment here are six things you need to consider:
What is the chair made of? Furniture including chairs are made from various materials and some are more environmentally friendly that others. Making sure your green office chair uses recycled materials and natural fiber padding reduces its environmental impact.
How was the chair put together? Many of the adhesives and finishes used on furniture contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which release vapors into the environment. Some of these vapors can affect indoor air quality and human health. Manufacturers are moving towards using adhesives and coatings without VOCs such as water based adhesives.
Where was the chair manufactured? Buying products that are manufactured locally not only supports local industry but also reduces the carbon emissions created from transporting the chair to your destination.
How is the chair packaged? Packaging is part of the overall environmental impact of your green office chair so choose companies that use minimal packaging that can be recycled otherwise it will end up taking space in a landfill. Some companies will take the packaging away to reuse for other products.
Does the manufacturer use green business practices? Aside from the environmental impacts of how materials are sourced, there are also environmental impacts from the general operations of the manufacturer. Check whether the company has an environmental policy or a green business certification. This can help you determine if the company is following sustainable practices.
Does the chair have an environmental certification? There are a range of green product certifications that can be used to rate furniture. Different certifications generally concentrate on different areas of environmental performance.
Asking questions is the most important thing you can do when choosing a green office chair and it helps you ensure that the chair you choose is environmentally friendly. To get you started here are two great green office chairs from well known manufacturers:
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- A fully adjustable green office chair awarded Best Overall Ergonomic Chair by Wall Street Journal.
- Manufactured using powder-coated paints, water-based adhesives and VOC-free manufacturing processes.
- Up to 98% recyclable by weight, depending on the options selected, and made of up to 30% recycled content.
- Contains no PVCs, CFCs, solvents, chrome, benzene, lead or mercury.
- Silver Cradle to Cradle™ Product Certification from MBDC and is level™ 2 certified to the BIFMA e3 sustainability standard.
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- PostureFit design supports the way your pelvis tilts naturally forward, so that your spine stays aligned and you avoid back pain
- Specially woven seat and back suspension material conforms to your body and cradles it, keeping the pressure even across your body.
- Over half of each chair is recycled materials, and almost the entire chair-94%-is recyclable.
- GREENGUARD certified and Silver Cradle to Cradle™ Product Certification from MBDC.
