Herman Miller Greens Classic Eames Chair
Herman Miller
‘s famous Eames Molded Plastic Chair by Charles and Ray Eames is being reintroduced to meet the demands of today’s greener world. The Herman Miller collection, in collaboration with the Eames Office, will reproduce the Eames Molded Plastic Arm and Side Chair in sustainable fiberglass, a notable first for the furnishings industry.
“The fiberglass version of the Eames Shell Chairs has always had unique surface variations and telltale striations that have an aesthetic appeal all their own, particularly among vintage collectors and long-time Eames enthusiasts,” says Ben Watson, Herman Miller’s executive creative director. “It took us more than three years to reformulate and test a modern version of the fiberglass Shell Chair, and we are proud to reintroduce this material version of the chair in a way that not only lives up to our strict environmental standards but is safer for our manufacturing employees too.”
Introduced in 1950 by Herman Miller, the Eames shell chair was marketed to offer functionality and timeliness for a variety of applications. Designers Charles and Ray Eames set out to push the boundaries of what a shell chair could be, to offer “the best for the most for the least.” Over the years, the Eames chair has evolved with new colors, base variations, and finishing options, but now, with advancements in safe fiberglass composition, Herman Miller is able to offer an eco-focused modification to the familiar design.
This reformulation came after years of exploration and investment. By employing the same manufacturing processes used in the automotive industry for non-cosmetic performance parts, Herman Miller is now offering the same design with monomer-free resin. Without the need for thermal oxidizers, the result is less ozone and air pollution, as well as a safer production environment for employees.
The company will also offer the “Herman Miller Take Back” program, allowing the fiberglass chairs to be recycled. Across the country, distribution partners will serve as point of return at the end of the chair’s extensive life.
