Don't chuck the chair...

by Georgina Reed
Oct 4, 2017
4 min read

Every year thousands of cheap office chairs end up in land fill. You see them discarded in public parks, left on footpaths, dumped in ditches and wallowing in waterways. Many are less than a year old because they can't be repaired due to their inferior quality and built in obsolescence.

Waste is growing at double the rate of our population with 52 mega tonnes generated every year. Australia is ranked 5th highest for generating the most municipal waste in the world. Good quality office chairs will last for many years, but with hundreds of office chairs on the market, how can you tell a good chair from a bad one?

You might find a good-looking chair but after a few weeks things start to creak, groan or even break! If the chair becomes uncomfortable the inner padding (foam) or the adjustment mechanism may be inferior.

Beware of cheap locally made or imported chairs, they are not worth the money.

Most chair retailers don't care what the customer wants, they just want to sell chairs, so they'll tell you anything to get a sale. It's hard to get straight answers from retail sales people, so here's how to tell the difference between a good and badly made chair.

1. What are the chair's components made from?

Most chair shells are made from plastic, but some are thin, cheap and nasty compared with others with a study look and feel, so start with choosing a chair that has solid structure. The chair also needs to be a good design that offers real posture support and comfort. (Refer to our list of the main features of a chair, below).

Make sure the chair's components are made from robust materials, including the under-seat mechanism and the foam padding in the seat and back. Push down to see if the foam feels firm. It should spring back quickly when you let go.

The upholstery should be a durable, high quality fabric. Wool or wool blends are best, and you can also get waterproof fabrics. If you want leather, be careful as there are many cheap, thin leathers that will tear easily, and other PU (Poly) Synthetic Leather materials that look very much like the real thing. You may need an expert to advise you about leather as price isn't always a guide. Peter March knows leather, so if in doubt, give him a call. 0418 483 878.

2. Test the chair

Sit down and swivel around. Does it creak, groan or wobble? It shouldn't. Do the arms sit properly? Try the gas lift. Does the chair lift up? When you sit does it feel firm, solid and comfortable? Can you adjust it to fit your body?

If you buy a chair for $150-$200 it's probably made with cheap components, poor quality upholstery and will most likely fail within a year or two. And it's doubtful that the retailer will offer a warranty.

It's false economy to buy something that will end up in landfill next year.

Waste is growing at double the rate of our population. Australia is 5th highest in the world for generating the most municipal waste. Don't be the cause of more landfill, choose a chair wisely and it will last you for many many years, and can probably be recycled.

The chairs we supply through ChairPro are all made locally with good quality parts that will last a long time, and our chair manufacturer offers a factory warranty with every chair.

So what to buy?

If you have no idea where to start, Peter is here to help you with advice information and recommendations. Peter has 30+ years experience in chair design and is the chair professional.

Whether the chair is for your home or business office, find out if it will last the distance before you buy. This will save you time, effort and money, and help you avoid making a costly mistake. Call Peter for a no-charge chat on 0418 483 878.

Just what IS ergonomics? This and other topics are covered in our ChairPro BLOG.