Furniture giant Herman Miller has announced that its entire portfolio of the iconic Eames Molded Plastic Chairs will now be made using 100% post-industrial recycled plastic. According to the company, this is the equivalent of about 122 tons of plastic per year and a 15% annual carbon reduction.

Accompanying the new material composition is new collection of shell colors, which will include the previously offered Black, White, and Red Orange colors and nine new hues: Evergreen, Cocoa, Deep Yellow, Brick Red, Pale Blue, Medium Grey, Blue Green, Grey Green, and Light Grey. 

The use of recycled plastic is just another iteration of the Shell Chair, which has undergone a variety of material transformations since the chair was first introduced in 1950. The original design included fiberglass, with bent wire included the following year. In 2006, the chairs utilized polypropylene, which was followed by a safer fiberglass option and wood finishes shortly after that. 

This product reimagining is the latest in a series of product updates by Herman Miller that falls under parent company MillerKnoll’s 2030 Sustainability Goals. Last year, they introduced a new portfolio of Aeron Chairs made using ocean-bound plastic. The sustainability strategy aims to reduce their carbon footprint by 50 percent and the carbon footprint of their suppliers. It also lays out a plan to stop using single-use plastics and substantially reduce all types of waste, along with using 50 percent or more recycled content and purchasing materials that are sustainably produced. 

The new Eames Molded Plastic Chairs are selling for $295 USD at Herman Miller’s online store and their retail locations.