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Herman Miller's Aeron Chair Earns Environmental Certification

The Aeron chair now has a PVC-free, polyurethane arm pad.

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 2/17/2009 12:00:00 AM

A Herman Miller classic has another green certification under its belt. McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) has awarded the Aeron chair Cradle to Cradle Silver Certification for its sustainable design. The environmental certification ensures the furniture manufacturer is dedicated to material chemistry and safety, product disassembly and recyclability of materials, and maximizing use of materials with recycled content during production.

To meet the criteria, Herman Miller closely examined each material used in the chair, which already boasts Greenguard certification and incorporates several green design features: It's 94 percent recyclable, comprised of up to 64-percent recycled materials, and assembled with 100 percent renewable energy. More than 60 percent recycled content is used in the seat frame and the back is recycled two-liter plastic bottles.

"In Aeron's case, we particularly addressed the use of PVC in the arm pads," says Scott Charon, Herman Miller's DfE program manager. "After significant research and collaboration with a new, minority-owned supplier, our ambition for a PVC-free, polyurethane arm pad is now a reality."

By 2010, Herman Miller plans to achieve 50 percent of sales from products that meet the environmental criteria laid out in the DfE protocol. In 2020, the company is committed to raise that to 100 percent of product sales.