How Long Does A Chair Last?
That is an excellent question. A chair can last you between 1 year and upto 10 years (and even more!) The Chair I am currently sitting on right now, I have been sitting on for over 13 years… the permanent back support feature is still functional, wheels are still smooth, gas lift is still effective. The fabric has not torn, the handles are still strong and despite me sitting on it for almost 7 hours a day, 6 days a week for 13 years, I have managed to get over 500 hours of utility from it and I can proudly say it is still going strong.
If you are willing to spend a bit more money for quality upfront, then you will find your chair will last a lot longer than a year.
How can I judge if a chair is good quality?
It is usually difficult for an untrained eye to assess quality. We take the definition of quality as “fitness for purpose” as “Quality is the totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy given needs.” (American Society for Quality). We often ask our customers certain questions to get a better understanding of their type of work, number of hours on the chair, physical characteristics of the person among others to give them a better fit for their users. OSHA standards and the US BIFMA for safety are standards that should be followed and then other considerations such as genuine warranty, after sales service, spare parts availability, availability of the same models in the long term (especially for businesses that are expanding and want to have a corporate look) are some of the considerations that should be taken into account. It has taken us years of practice to assess quality, and we pride ourselves in selling chairs that promote healthy seating.
Why should I buy a good quality chair over something cheaper?
Chairs that are cheaper can sometimes cause you to face a lot of problems. We had a loyal customer buy chairs from another supplier (because they were cheaper) and sadly one of their staff fell down in front of customers, leading to humiliation for the staff as well as it reflecting badly on the company. Bad wheels can lead to strain on knees and ankles, bad back support causes neck and back pain, bad handles can cause tennis elbow and carpel tunnel syndrome. A company that is looking after their employees should never buy something that will be a “toxic chair” (one that harms their staff’s health and wellbeing). The cost of procuring chairs to a company is very high due to the time, money, energy, effort to hunt and then choose a chair makes it worth buying a good quality chair. There is also an environmental aspect to buying a long lasting chair, a chair that has to be replaced every 2 years compared to a chair you use for 8 years means that 4 chairs are thrown out and are polluting the environment. Plastic does not degenerate easily so sustainability is an important factor to consider.
What advice do you have to someone that is buying a chair?
- Try to always buy a chair that is better than what you currently have. As you age, your body needs more support and comfort. Take the advice of doctors to understand what your body needs. “Sitting is the new smoking” (Dr. James Levine, Director of Mayo Clinic) so if you can get a standing, sitting desk for work, that would be ideal!
- Purchase better now rather than later – Goods will cost less today than they will in another year, if you know what you want to buy, better that investment is made today, as money loses its value along with the cost of raw materials increasing.
- Chairs are like clothes, what is suitable for you, may not be suitable for me. Always take the user to buy the chair so that they may try it, the seller can answer any questions they have. It is also a great way to keep the staff motivated as they feel part of the decision making process.
- Ask our trained sales team for advice and guidance, they have been taught how to ask the right questions to help you find the best fit. Visit our showroom and personally test our chairs!