Overview
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Sustainability

Ocean-Bound Plastic

Herman Miller is a founding member of NextWave Plastics, a consortium working to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains. By integrating this transformed plastic into our products and processes, we’re reducing the volume of plastic waste, little by little. 

Replay

Company

Ocean-bound Plastic Explainer Video

What is ocean-bound plastic and how does it work? View this video to see how Herman Miller is incorporating this plastic waste into our products and processes.

The process

Plastic waste tends to build up in coastal cities that don’t have the infrastructure to process it. As part of NextWave Plastics, we’re working to turn this plastic into something brand-new. See how we do it.

A beach littered with plastic waste.

Suppliers work with local pickers to scavenge the profitable plastics. Photo courtesy of OceanCycle.

A man sorting plastic bottles in a warehouse.

These raw materials are ground, washed and pelletised. Photo courtesy of OceanCycle.

Seven pieces of colourful, ocean-bound plastic waste laid out in a square pattern on a white backdrop.

Then, they’re sold to manufacturers like Herman Miller, where we test and re-engineer the plastic.

Overhead view of a black Aeron back frame and Aeron Tilt cover, a line of both folded and fanned Revenio textile colour swatches, a Sayl seat pan and OE1 Trolly ocean-bound plastic clips arranged across a half white and half green table top.

Finally, this plastic is incorporated into a growing number of our products and packaging.

300 tonnes of plastic waste have been diverted from the ocean during financial year 2023*

A black Aeron and Sayl office chair, viewed from above, are positioned next to a white display cube, on top of which an arrangement of folded Revenio textile swatches, OE1 trolly plastic clips and a Tu Pedestal Utility Tray made from ocean-bound plastics are all displayed.

*based on 2023 sales forecast.

Making the best, better for Earth

Exact same chair, just a little more sustainable.

Re-meet Aeron

Asari Chair

Sayl Chair

Sayl Stool