Freedom

Designed by Niels Diffrient

The Most Advanced Ergonomics

Maximum Spine Health and Maximum Comfort

    Sitting still is particularly unhealthy and very uncomfortable. The knobs and levers on traditional task chairs have kept people sitting still for decades.

    Freedom changed that.

    “The Gold Standard in Office Seating”

    New York Times logo

    The Innovation That
    Changed Everything

    Niels Diffrient replaced the locks, knobs and springs that are under older generation chairs with your body weight and the laws of physics so you can move effortlessly from one position to another, making it feel as if the chair were custom-made for you or whoever happens to be sitting in it at any given moment.

    Synchronous Arms

    Our innovative synchronous arms, designed to allow you to effortlessly change your arm support with one hand.

    Dynamic Headrest

    Freedom Headrest dynamically supports the head and neck as users recline. It moves with the sitter for seamless comfort in any position, no manual adjustments needed.

    Express Yourself

    Explore 300+ Shades to Find Your Perfect Color Match.
    A side view of a person reclining in a black Humanscale Freedom Ocean task chair without a headrest, showcasing the weight-sensitive recline mechanism and lumbar support against a white background

    Arm Support that moves with you

    Just like the human body, Freedom's arms are attached to its back, so its arm support stays with you as you move.

    Made With up to 4.2 lbs of Ocean Plastic

    Freedom Ocean reduces plastic pollution by removing and upcycling harmful fishing nets from the ocean, turning waste into something useful and helping restore fragile marine ecosystems.
    A Humanscale Freedom Ocean Headrest chair undergoing automated durability testing with mechanical arms in a factory setting

    Certified to 400lbs

    Far exceeding almost all other chairs. this means every part is stronger, less likely to fail, and will last for decades of heavy duty use.

    Clean Gas Cylinder

    Our cylinders are cleaner and more reliable than conventional cylinders. Unlike other chairs, our patented design seals grease in the lower unit to protect both user and chair.

    Durability with more comfort

    Our Duron Arm Pads have a multi-layer design which is softer and five times tougher than standard arms.

    The Design Story

    An icon, 60 years in the making.
    A technical sketch close-up of the Humanscale Freedom Headrest chair, highlighting the back shell and seat mechanical structure and outlines

    Designed by Niels Diffrient.

    Recognized as the father of ergonomics, legendary designer Niels Diffrient focused on the human experience to inspire innovative products. He revolutionized task seating by inventing a chair that adjusts to the sitter, rather than making the sitter adjust to the chair.
    Industrial designer Niels Diffrient seated on a Humanscale Freedom Saddle stool with a high cylinder and footring, working at a large drafting table on a chair design sketch

    “Sets a high standard for ergonomic seating.”

    “Comfortable enough to sleep in.”

    “Truly a grail chair... as much of a centerpiece for a home office as an Eames chair for a living room.”

    “The gold standard in office seating has been set by the Freedom chair by Humanscale.”

    Our Plan For The Planet

    From supply chain through production and use, we are invested in environmental stewardship across the globe.

    Explore Sustainability

    • Planet Positive

      Planet positive products go beyond neutrality, creating benefits in carbon, energy, and water around the world. Our mission is to leave the world better than we found it, better for you.

    • Healthy Materials

      We evaluate and verify materials used in our products to ensure that they are healthy for people and planet.

    • Transparency

      We publish our sustainability efforts, and have them verified by third party auditors, so our customers can make informed decisions.

    Freedom is Planet Positive. Its materials are free of harmful chemicals, is made with post-consumer recycled content, and produced in TRUE Zero Waste facilities. Each Freedom chair produced leaves the world better off by positively impacting energy, water, and carbon in the environment.

    6 kg CO2e

    Climate Positive
    Each Freedom Headrest has a net benefit of 6 kg CO2 eq, or what a car emits over 16 miles. We sponsor handprinting projects that have carbon benefits, such as the installation of solar panels at nonprofits across the country.

    64 litres (17 Gallons)

    Water Positive
    Each Freedom Headrest has a net benefit of 64 litres (17 gallons) of water. We sponsor handprinting projects that have water benefits, such as refurbishing wells in rural India to provide safe drinking water to vulnerable communities.

    24 kWh

    Energy Positive
    Each Freedom Headrest has a net benefit of 24 kWh of energy. This amount could charge nearly 2,000 smartphones. We sponsor handprinting projects that have energy benefits, such as distributing energy efficient light bulbs to subsidised housing.

    34%

    Recycled Content
    Freedom Headrest is made with 19% post-consumer and 15% pre-consumer recycled content.

    100%

    Red List Free
    Freedom is vetted for over 20 harmful chemical classes to ensure it is safe over the course of its life cycle. It is free of all chemicals on the Living Future Institute's Red List and has received a Declare Label by third party auditors, verifying the impact of all materials that go into the product.
    Close-up of green leaves with water droplets

    *Data is based on a Freedom Headrest results vary depending on configuration