The Ergonomic Furniture Green Team

We're very proud that two of our leading manufacturers, Herman Miller and Steelcase, are exceptionally environmentally conscious and committed to making products that are sustainable.

Herman Miller's Greenhouse

In 1993, Herman Miller helped fund the start-up of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). This non-profit organization is dedicated to understanding and promoting sound environmental building practices. At the same time the USGBC was launching, Herman Miller hired renowned environmental architect William McDonough to design its next manufacturing facility, to be located next to an existing HMI warehouse on more than 45 acres of rolling prairie. In 1995, the USGBC selected the building, which was named the "Greenhouse," as a pilot for the development of its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process. The building today stands as proof that using green design not only can be aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally sound and financially beneficial to a company.

Herman Miller Mirra Chair

This award-winning chair was designed from beginning to end using the Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol enforced by the Design for Environment, the company’s product standards committee. They’ve developed this earth-sensitive protocol for new and existing products in effort to advocate for and protect the environment.

The Mirra chair is 96 % recyclable with 42% recycled content and contains no PVC (a compound known to cause cancer). The chair is also easy to take apart to recycle locally. Its latitude fabric-back upholstery is 100% recyclable. Herman Miller office seating has earned GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification for low-emitting products. This includes the company's award-winning Aeron, Mirra, Ergon, Equa, Ambi, Caper, Reaction, Aside, and Limerick work chairs. GREENGUARD Environmental Institute-certified products must pass a series of rigorous emissions tests and undergo quarterly monitoring to maintain their status.

Steelcase Think Chair as featured in

Another company that's protecting the environment in their day-to-day business is Steelcase (more about the company in a minute). One of their latest achievements is the introduction of Think® - the industry's most environmentally responsible chair. The chair was produced with minimal waste, energy consumption and environmental impact. Powder-coat paint is VOC (volatile organic coupound)-free and free of heavy metals. No gluing processes are used in assembly and all urethane foam is water based. To maximize the Think chair's working life, the seat and back cushions, arms, headrest and lumbar support can easily be added or replaced. Think can be disassembled for recycling in about five minutes using common hand tools. It's 99% recyclable by weight; parts weighing more than 50g are clearly labeled for recycling. This chair is truly "cradle to cradle" instead of following the cradle-to-grave path of so many other man-made products that end up in garbage dumps.

Steelcase LEED Certified Wood Products Plant

The Steelcase Wood Products plant, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first manufacturing facility in the world to be certified under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Pilot Program. By following LEED certification guidelines, they've expressed their commitment to the environment and the community while also setting a standard for other manufacturers to follow. Some significant advancements at the plant include:

• Eliminating virtually all sources of indoor pollution from metal furniture operations and all hazardous waste generation processes.
  
• Building the world's first-ever LEED™ certified manufacturing facility.
  
• Initiating the industry's first large scale office furniture testing for indoor air quality impact.