Beyond Sustainability

Manufacturing for the Good of the Planet

While many companies aim to reduce their environmental footprint, we believe the manufacturing industry must do more. That’s why we don’t just reduce harm—we reverse past environmental damage.

This is sustainability in action.

Our Journey to Planet Positive

If a footprint measures what we take from the world, a handprint measures what we give back. Using MIT’s SHINE framework, our Planet Positive products go 10% beyond carbon neutral, ensuring our handprint is bigger than our footprint.

When total climate emissions for our products are calculated, the amount of carbon in the atmosphere is actually less than when we started. There’s a positive impact for the climate.

Our Handprinting Initiatives

Across the United States and around the world, Humanscale is giving back—leaving the Earth’s energy, climate, and waterways better off.

Going Solar, United States

Humanscale works with RE-volv to help nonprofits in underinvested communities across the United States go solar.
Tree Planting, Mexico

Along with One Tree Planted, Humanscale helped plant over 6,000 trees in Mexico’s Monarch High Forest Restoration Project, creating habitat for endangered species, restoring a Monarch butterfly corridor, and sequestering over 15,612,000 kg of CO₂e.
Well Building and Restoration, India

In partnership with the BridgIT Water Foundation, Humanscale established and refurbished 20 wells in villages across rural India, making clean water accessible to over 17,000 people in these communities.
Water Harvestation, Taiwan

With Gravity Water and the Environmental Ethics Foundation of Taiwan, Humanscale helped local schools capture and store rainwater, reducing flooding during the monsoon season and improving efficiency year round.

“We believe manufacturing can leave the world better off.”

Transparence

Alors qu'il est souvent prétendu qu'une transparence totale des matériaux est impossible, nous le prouvons chaque jour. Nous avons étudié chaque matériau que nous utilisons, soit plus de 700 au total. Dirigés par un spécialiste des matériaux dédié et soutenus par des auditeurs tiers et un toxicologue, nous garantissons l'exactitude de nos informations. Nous appliquons les étiquettes Declare et Health Product Declaration (HPD) sur toute notre gamme de produits, rendant les ingrédients aussi visibles que ceux des produits dans votre cuisine.

B-Corp, GRI, HPD, Just, Living Product Challenge, Declare

Healthy Materials 

We spend nearly all of our time in built environments surrounded by synthetic materials. The ingredients in these materials directly affect our health and well-being, and their production has a significant environmental impact. Humanscale demonstrates that any product can be manufactured using materials that are better for people and the planet.

Humanscale is the only company in the industry that doesn’t use hazardous Red List chemicals, including Chrome 6, HFRs, and PFAs, in the products its designs and manufactures.

“Since its founding in 1983, Humanscale has established itself as an industry leader in environmentally friendly manufacturing.”

Valorisation du plastique marin

La pollution plastique est l’un des défis environnementaux les plus urgents d’aujourd’hui. Des millions de tonnes de plastique se retrouvent dans l’océan chaque année, menaçant la vie marine et les écosystèmes fragiles. En 2016, Humanscale est devenu le premier fabricant à transformer des filets de pêche mis au rebut en mobilier. La collection Ocean comprend désormais Smart Ocean, Liberty Ocean, Path, Diffrient Occasional et Freedom Ocean, qui transforment tous les déchets nocifs en produits fonctionnels de haute qualité.

En savoir plus sur notre histoire d’Ocean →

“The technologies and means to protect our planet are here. We're proving it's possible—not in 2050, but today.”

Our Factories

Our facilities aren't just compliant—they're leaders. Every facility we own is designed to give back to the environment and community.

Energy

We installed the largest solar system permitted—designed to generate 80–90% of our electricity. All our manufacturing facilities worldwide run on 100% renewable electricity.
Water

In Piscataway, NJ, a closed-loop system harvests rainwater to power production. In Nogales, Mexico, monsoon rains sustain operations and cool the facility. All facilities use 100% captured rainwater for production.
Waste

We are TRUE Zero Waste certified across all facilities. In 2017, we were recognized by New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection for the highest diversion rate in the state. Globally, we divert 94% of our waste and avoid incineration.
Efficiency

Significantly more energy efficient than traditional hydraulic machines, our factories rely on all-electric injection molding machines.

Business as a Force for Good

Humanscale is the only major brand in the commercial furniture industry to earn B Corp certification. Becoming a B Corp isn't just about declaring good intentions—it requires passing a rigorous, independent assessment that evaluates every aspect of our business. Of the companies that go through this evaluation, less than half are awarded certification. Being part of the global B Corp community puts us alongside brands like Patagonia and Allbirds. Certified since 2024, re-certified every three years through rigorous independent assessment.