What comes to mind when we think of sustainability in practice? Is it in the construction, the proximity, the materiality, or a combination of the three? When it comes to holistic design, every part of the process needs to be considered with discretion, understanding the nuances of the world we’re in. Almost synonymous with the term “office chair”, the Aeron chair from Herman Miller it has been a symbol of American office design excellence, long seen as a well-earned gift for a job well done.
An impressive way to take the load off the long-suffering backs of office workers, every measurement on the Aeron chair can be adjusted to fit your exact specifications, creating less strain on the body and therefore the mind. Available in four standard sizes, each piece is designed with the human body in mind, creating a more harmonious relationship with tasks.
In this newest iteration, not only are there new colors to choose from, but also systemic upgrades. As of 2022, Herman Miller has achieved carbon savings of over 7,000 metric tonswhich is equivalent to taking nearly 6,000 cars off the road for a year. Without compromising on durability or performance, the Herman Miller team also reduced the material airaluminum base by 1.85 lbs/0.84 kg. At scale, this translates to enough aluminum saved annually to exceed the weight of 16 adult elephants. These equivalences clearly show how small changes can substantially reduce the impact. Even more powerfully, they can back up these numbers with third-party studies, an inspiring shift toward transparency in an age of increased obfuscation.
In keeping with the values that drive the type of innovation that Herman Miller is known for, they invest heavily in the type of information gathering that is not only good for them internally, but for all of us here on earth. The more we can understand different parts of the product cycle, the more we can make powerful and effective decisions that will ultimately shape our future. When a design is so ubiquitous, born of ergonomic ingenuity and meticulously designed, it begs the question: could improvements be made to a system that is inherently slow to change? With the Aeron Chair, the answer has to be yes.
To learn more about Aeron from Herman Miller, visit hermanmiller.com.
Photo by Pipe Drummondcourtesy of Herman Miller.
