New York, United States
The Path chair by Humanscale incorporates structural elements, such as parts of the mechanism and the arms, which are crafted from recycled fishing nets gathered by local fishermen. This innovative approach demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing.
The product has been awarded a Prize Design for Modern Furniture + Lighting 2023 by Global Design News and The Chicago Athenaeum Museum for Architecture and Design.
Over five years in the making, the chair is composed of nearly twenty-two pounds of recycled content, including ocean plastic, post-consumer plastic bottles, and post-industrial material.
A complete reinvention of the supply chain, every component of the chair except for the screws was designed and engineered by Humanscale.
Path’s structural components, including parts of the mechanism and the arms, are processed from fishing nets that are collected by local fishermen.
These materials are collected within 50km of coastlines, thus preventing potential damage to our oceans and their delicate ecosystems.
Equally as innovative as Path’s design is Humanscale’s trademarked FormSense Eco Knit™ material, a mesh-like textile whose yarn is made with 100% post-consumer recycled polyester from approximately 68 upcycled plastic bottles per Path chair.
Knitted exactly to the shape of the chair, FormSense Eco Knit™ eliminates the need for cutting or sewing, creating zero waste. In line with Humanscale’s commitment to healthy materials, Path is toxin-free and comes with transparency labels.
It is certified net-positive by the International Living Furniture Institute’s Living Product Challenge (LPC), the strictest and most holistic sustainability framework for products in the industry.
This certification means that every time one of these chairs are made, they’re leaving the planet better off, measured by adding together “footprints” (the damage caused to the environment) and “handprints” (the positive impact brought to the environment).
The chair received a 20/20 rating by the LPC, setting a new benchmark for responsible manufacturing.
Designed for inclusivity of the 95th percentile of the population, Path ensures a personalized fit to every body type.
Applying the laws of physics, Humanscale’s Gravity Mechanism™ automatically adjusts recline support to each user, eliminating the need for manual adjustments.
Project: Path Chair
Lead Designer: Todd Bracher
Manufacturer: Humanscale Inc.
Photographs: Courtesy of Humanscale
