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The Importance of Proper Seating in Education

Education is an ever-evolving space, as it should be. How we teach and learn has evolved from simple storytelling and hieroglyphics to slate and chalk, digital tablets, and virtual learning. As we all know, the change in learning environments for students, educators and administrators have accelerated and amplified trends in education that were already in motion. Online and blended learning has revealed inequities and how many physical learning environments can’t meet the pedagogical needs and technology demands. Additionally, well-being has suffered, and students and teachers have struggled, unable to teach or learn effectively.

Research has found both students and instructors want more control over their learning environments. People want options so they can choose where to learn or work, and they want the ability to adapt spaces based on what they’re doing. A recent study reports a 92% increase in students who say they often or always move furniture to support their learning. Instructors report a 47% increase when asked if they agree or strongly agree that they want to be able to move furniture into new layouts. Access to mobile furniture, seating options, and postures promotes a greater sense of student agency.

Here are five key benefits of proper seating in any education environment:

Comfort: Comfortable seating can help reduce physical discomfort and fatigue during long periods of sitting, which is especially important for students who spend many hours in a lecture hall or study room. The right seating solution can help them stay focused and engaged during class.
Posture: Proper posture helps to prevent back, neck, and shoulder pain and also helps to maintain good spinal alignment, which is essential for good health. Good posture also helps improve breathing and circulation, enhancing overall well-being.
Productivity: Proper seating can help to improve concentration and focus, which is essential for success in higher education. When students are comfortable, they are more likely to be productive and able to retain information better.
Learning Environment: Proper seating can create a more positive and inviting learning environment, contributing to a more positive and supportive classroom culture.
Accessibility: Proper seating can also be important in making the classroom more accessible for students with disabilities. It is essential to ensure that seating is adjustable and can accommodate the needs of all students.

To create better teaching and learning experiences that provide students and educators with what they want and expect, institutions must pay attention to several macro shifts in how they think about space. Here are two key macro shifts:

Design for Effectiveness

During the pandemic, both students and educators faced challenges. The quality of learning and instruction declined. To move forward, students and educators must have access to multi-faceted learning environments that cater to individual and group needs and provide various learning methods. For instance, libraries could be reconfigured to accommodate group work and individual study. Schools must also create spaces that facilitate more effective hybrid and blended learning experiences.

Design for Flexibility

Traditionally, buildings were constructed with a focus on durability, featuring rigid architecture, power, and furniture arrangements. In the future, educational facilities will feature more flexible spaces that can quickly adapt to various modes of learning. Schools must embrace versatile spaces that can accommodate a wide range of activities. Furniture will be designed to be easily relocated, allowing the spaces to expand or shrink as necessary.

Below is a brief guide on several 9to5 Seating chairs and their ideal applications in various environments throughout school classrooms, libraries, admin areas, common areas, and other open spaces.

Vox and Dash – Great for classrooms, cafés, cafeterias and meeting room spaces:

- Full collections with multiple models to fill multiple spaces- classrooms, Cafés, cafeteria and meeting rooms, lab spaces
- Very mobile and easy to move around
- Available with glides or casters
- Flexback movement to offer comfort while sitting for longer periods
- Durable frames and plastic shells that hold up in high-traffic areas
- Variety of plastic colors to choose

Lilly and Jax – Perfect for lounge collections-common areas, libraries, administrative offices:

- Jax and Lilly offer different aesthetic designs suited for a variety of interior designs
- Very mobile and easy to move around
- Variety of models to fit in different spaces
- Support focus or collaborative student work

Ellie – Well-suited for common areas, libraries, administrative offices:

- - Very mobile and easy to move around
  - Support focus or collaborative student work
  - Variety of bases that support multiple areas-show via images (individual images of different bases)

Effective education is a must for prosperous and civil societies. The next generation is counting on us to train and teach them, and we’re counting on them to lead us into the future. All of this is made easier with high-quality, thoughtfully specified lounge, task and multipurpose chairs from 9to5 Seating. For more inspiration on education seating solutions, check out the 9to5 Seating Education brochure.

2022 GOOD DESIGN Award Winners

9to5 Seating has been honored with four 2022 GOOD DESIGN® Awards for HÅG SoFi, Ellie, Vox, and Dash. Granted by The Chicago Athenaeum in 1950, the prize recognizes innovative industrial, product, and graphic designs worldwide. Four GOOD DESIGN Awards is an unprecedented honor for 9to5 Seating.

Founded in Chicago in 1950 by pioneers Charles and Ray Eames and former MoMA curator Edgar Kaufmann, Jr., GOOD DESIGN spotlights work that has “chartered new directions and pushed the envelope for competitive products in the world marketplace.”

Winning products HÅG SoFi, Ellie, Vox and Dash collectively represent the creative direction 9to5 Seating is taking in design while addressing the needs of the market. The HÅG SoFi combines two market drivers in a single product: clean aesthetics and groundbreaking engineering. The HÅG SoFi provides ventilation and gives a sense of space thanks to its transparency, making it ideal for space planning. Ergonomic features include adjustable seat depth, padded adjustable lumbar, the intuitive HÅG in Balance mechanism, and innovative SlideBack™ armrests that slide back to allow users to get closer to their desks, sit sideways or use the armrests as elbow support.

Ellie is a designer’s dream combining task-seating-level ergonomics with plush lounge comfort, merging functionality with an appealing design. With many base and finish options, Ellie in mid-back or high-back complements any workspace from corporate settings to open-concept offices or at-home work.

Vox and Dash provide contemporary multi-purpose seating solutions for organizations looking for more versatility in their facilities with its unique flex back supporting well-being with multiple flex zones for comfort for every user. Both chairs provide an easily cleanable surface and a variety of models- side, stool and light task and options – all-plastic, upholstered seat, and upholstered back and seat, while Dash’s perforated back delivers breathability.

“Last year, 9to5 Seating received three prestigious GOOD DESIGN Awards and to receive four awards this year is representative of our continued commitment to providing high-design products to the market that are both functional and attainable,” said Dara Mir, President and CEO of 9to5 Seating. “We look forward to providing more innovative products that customers now expect from 9to5 Seating.”

HÅG SoFi, Ellie, Vox and Dash are now available to order. Products can be specified using the 9to5 Seating Chair Designer.

Ellie Charms Agency

Ellie impresses MG Marketing with its high design, and most importantly, its comfort.

One of the first thoughts that come to mind when you see Ellie from 9to5 Seating is “design.” The unique shape of this office chair gives it a very distinctive look that truly catches your attention. This office chair has a simple form, yet gives off a fun and whimsical energy. The single-molded base is elegant and minimal. For having such a design-oriented aesthetic, this chair is also surprisingly comfortable, and ideal for sit-stand use at a height-adjustable desk. The seat cushion is on the slightly firmer side, which we personally love! Another unique feature – the integrated armrests have just the right amount of flexibility.

When you sit down in Ellie for the first time, one of the things you’ll notice is the amount of back support you are given. For an office chair that looks and feels like a lounge chair, you find a good amount of reinforcement to help promote proper posture at your office desk. There is also a handle to help adjust the height of the chair. But then you discover that if you pull the handle outwards, the unique ability for Ellie to lean backward truly makes this office chair come to life.

Imagine being in a long virtual presentation with Ellie as your companion – You sit upright to be professional, but you’re comfortable as Ellie’s design gives you the support you need. You give all your best efforts in the meeting, and as soon as everyone signs off, you take a deep breath, reach down beside your Ellie, pull the handle out, and lean back as you breathe a sigh of relief and the feeling of accomplishment wash over you.

Now with a design like Ellie, it has to fit in with the vibe of your work environment. Using 9to5 Seating’s Chair Designer tool, which is both free and easy to use, you can design your Ellie office chair with virtually endless options. The Ellie models offer mid-back to high-back options, rolling casters to a stationary wire base, and many more options.

Additionally, one of the unique things about the Ellie design is that you can specify a two-tone option for the upholstery. Two-tone can be tricky, but thanks to 9to5’s precision craftsmanship you can count on the alignment and seams to be tight and precise. There is also the option of choosing different colors and/or fabrics on the inside and the outside of the chair. With hundreds of fabric options for the inside and outside upholstery, plus the option to spec your fabric, the design options are essentially limitless. Be sure to preview the exact look of your Ellie before specifying it, on the Chair Designer This way you can ensure that your Ellie fits perfectly into your design.

The applications for this chair are broad and range from corporate workstations, conference rooms, collaborative spaces, hospitality, higher-ed admin facilities, and beyond. One note for small businesses and end-users: when the office chair first arrives, you quickly realize that it requires minimal assembly. In fact, no tools are needed when setting up Ellie. All the pieces slide into place, and the chair is secure and ready to be used immediately. Two thumbs up to Ellie, a design-oriented, and very comfortable office chair!

HCD 2022

9to5 Seating is excited to announce that we will be exhibiting at Healthcare Design Expo & Conference.

Healthcare Design Expo & Conference is the ultimate networking, education, and product-sourcing event for the healthcare industry. You can see the newest products from 9to5 Seating while learning about the latest research, trends, and strategies from peers and experts.

Check out a sneak peek at the 9to5 Seating products you can expect to see in our booth. Also, stop by the booth to enter our chair giveaway contest.

Healthcare Design Expo & Conference is in San Antonio, TX, October 9-11. Visit the 9to5 Seating Booth #743.

Ellie |Designer’s Dream that Delivers Ergonomics

9to5 Seating is launching Ellie, a highly customizable, fully upholstered stylish chair for task, conference rooms or collaboration spaces. With elegant curved lines, Ellie aims to elevate the market for spaces that change throughout the day—including home offices.

Ellie combines task-seating-level ergonomics with plush lounge comfort, merging functionality with appealing design. With a multitude of base and finish options, Ellie in mid-back or high-back complements any kind of work space from corporate settings to open-concept offices or at-home work. Depending on space and style needs, choose from a black or gray five-star base, a four-star aluminum base in black, white or polished finish, or a wire base in black, gray or silver. The easy-to-use weight-balanced synchro mechanism makes customization personal.

Ellie’s precision upholstery work means designers can easily create personalized two-tone design, combining colors, textures and patterns everywhere—front, back and seat with optional coated textile armrests, making Ellie more durable for every day use.

Made of 95% recycled materials, Ellie is the latest proof of 9to5 Seating’s commitment to sustainability and helping the planet. Ellie is GREENGUARD GOLD and BIFMA LEVEL 2 certified.

“We’re excited to introduce Ellie to the 9to5 Seating portfolio,” said Dara Mir, President and CEO of 9to5 Seating. “This impressive chair exemplifies 9to5 Seating’s push for a high design, ergonomic, sustainable and highly customizable seating solution.”

Ellie starts at $1445 and is now available. Check in with your local 9to5 Seating Sales Representative for a demo and go to 9to5seating.com for more information.

The Swiss Army Knife of Seating – Vox & Dash

“It’s as versatile as a Swiss Army Knife.” We’ve all heard this phrase, and most people instantly understand the analogy….Whatever is being referenced is dynamic and offers a wide range of utility. But why the Swiss Army Knife? And what does this have to do with office chairs? Here’s the quick backstory. It all started in the 1880s when the Swiss Army decided they needed a new tool for their soldiers. Based on the given requirements for this tool, the officers in charge of the project decided that a folding knife would be the best possible solution. It needed to be able to open cans of food, help with cooking, serve as a utensil, perform maintenance on soldiers’ rifles, and cut things as needed. The resulting knife was ironically produced by a German company until 1891 when Karl Elsener, owner of a surgical equipment company, set out to manufacture the knives in Switzerland. Long story short, the rest is history, with millions and millions of this utilitarian knife sold.

So, if there were a Swiss Army Knife of chairs, what would it be and who would produce it? It would need to be offered in a range of styles, configurations, and finishes. It would need to be styled in a way that works throughout a variety of spaces. And of course, it would need to be offered at a reasonable price. Easy answer! It’s Vox and Dash by 9to5 Seating, and here’s why.

Vox is an ideal, contemporary, multi-purpose seating solution. Created for collaboration spaces, flexible workplaces, training areas, break rooms, and just about anywhere else. It’s an enterprise-wide solution. Post-pandemic, organizations are looking for more versatility in their facilities and office furniture. This means rethinking what spaces look like, how often employees use them, and how the furniture within these spaces needs to adapt to changing needs regularly. Vox is ideally suited for offices, hospitals, and higher education environments where high traffic, turnover, and public use create harsh demands for any chair. The durable, easily cleanable surfaces allow Vox to continue to perform and sit after sit. You might think a chair like this doesn’t offer built-in ergonomics, right? Wrong! Ergonomics come standard with Vox’s unique flex zone allows someone to stretch back. Learn more here.

Turns out great things come in pairs! Vox, the perfect “Swiss Army Knife” solution, has a partner in Dash. This uber-functional chair is loaded with features that make Vox proud. The Dash multi-purpose office chair also offers built-in ergonomics. What does that mean? In simple terms, many people can use the chair throughout the day with super easy adjustments to accommodate various body types and sizes. This makes the Dash ideal for multi-shift offices and production facilities with constant turnover of staff. Dash doesn’t stop there. It’s also great for healthcare, higher education, and other workplace environments.

Dash shares the same unique flex zone as Vox. The back allows it to flex with the user as needed, providing a more comfortable seat. Users find this feature comfortable and appealing when sitting for long periods. Like Vox, Dash offers a variety of options: four-leg, sled, glides, casters, bar or task stool, and with or without arms. Then there’s the customizable plastic in 12 colors or an upholstered seat. The main difference between Vox and Dash is Dash’s perforated back which allows for easy breathability. Click here to learn more about Dash.

All these options from Vox and Dash have us wondering…Shouldn’t the phrase be “It’s as versatile as a Vox or Dash from 9to5 Seating?” One thing is certain – when specifying an office chair, task chair, executive chair, or just about any other type of chair, 9to5 Seating is your best choice for versatility, design, and value.

Celebrating Earth Day

So, what do sustainably manufactured office chairs have to do with Earth Day? Well, the connection starts with a senator from Wisconsin and a nation that was ready to listen to the environment.

It was the ’60s. A time of significant change – the civil rights movement, war protests, a space race, and geopolitical tensions just to name a few of the more popular topics. But it was also the beginning of public awareness for the environment and living organisms in a different way than ever considered by previous generations. A junior senator named Gaylord Nelson had been concerned about the impacts of industry on the environment in the United States for a while now, and then it happened. In January 1969, he and many others saw the devastation caused by an enormous oil spill not far from 9to5 Seating’s future home, off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. This disaster proved to be the pivotal moment that generated a groundswell of interest in the idea of proactively protecting the environment, and sparked a grassroots movement that would lead to the founding of Earth Day in 1970.

Supported by over 20 million Americans, the creation of Earth Day was an event that brought out the best in humanity. It was a unique alliance between Republicans, Democrats, rich and poor, urbanites and farmers. There was broad, non-partisan support for the concept of protecting our common home in the universe. In fact, the Earth Day movement led to the creation of the EPA, National Environmental Education Act, OSHA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the Federal Insecticide Act. Collectively, these laws have protected millions of people and brought about a consciousness for protecting our world, which in turn, has helped spark a desire for many corporate citizens to also do their part.

Enter 9to5 Seating. Going back to the family roots as a company, we believe in the principles of Earth Day. So how does 9to5 Seating practice this with more than just a “feel good” corporate statement on sustainability? It starts with an intrinsic commitment to do business the right way, and it follows through with industry-leading certifications and partnerships which prove out 9to5 Seating’s desire to operate with respect for our planet. Certifications include:

LEED Gold Certified corporate headquarters
LEVEL 1 Certified
Greenguard Gold Certified
EPA Wise Program member

In addition to these prestigious partnerships and certifications, 9to5 Seating offsets its energy consumption with wind generation credits. Check out our production in real-time here.

Beyond these sustainable manufacturing initiatives, 9to5 Seating is also proud to partner with One Tree Planted, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that focuses on reforestation by planting one tree for every dollar donated. This organization is doing measurable reforestation work, including right here in California where 9to5 Seating is headquartered.

At 9to5 Seating we manufacture the best chairs and seating products in the industry, in a way that we can be proud of as corporate citizens and individuals. Learn more about our sustainability initiatives here. Happy Earth Day 2022!

Vox: Contemporary Multi-Purpose Chair

9to5 Seating introduces Vox, a new multi-purpose chair created for collaboration spaces and flexible workplaces. The collection includes a variety of models from four-leg or sled to bar or task stools, with the aim of outfitting rooms with high change-over needs.

Built with users in mind, Vox delivers more comfort than the usual multi-purpose chair. Its designed-in flex zones promote back movement that fosters health and well-being, and the waterfall edge supports circulation for a healthy sit.

The Vox collection was created as an enterprise-wide solution; it’s versatile and customizable. Choose from models including four-leg, sled, bar or task stools, with arms or without and with glides or casters. Customize by choosing from multiple plastic colors, upholstered seat or fully upholstered and a selection of frame finishes.

Vox models are backed by 9to5 Seating’s limited lifetime warranty and have achieved BIFMA LEVEL 1 and GREENGUARD GOLD certifications. Vox chairs are built with 60% recycled material. Vox starts at $295 List.

To learn more about Vox and 9to5 Seating’s commitment to sustainability here.

New Jax Wood Base Options

The popular and award-winning Jax Collection from 9to5 Seating is expanding with more wood leg options in high and mid-back models. The new base options come on the heels of the successful release of the Jax wood rocker base that has been popular as a way to make spaces cohesive, warm and inviting.

The Jax Collection is a standout thanks to its contemporary lines and design. The new wood bases complement the look with rich, solid high-quality wood and maple or walnut finishes. These new options springboard off the success of the wood-leg rocker model last year.

“In our ongoing conversations with interior designers, we’ve gotten nothing but rave reviews for our Jax rocker,” said Dara Mir, President and CEO of 9to5 Seating. “We’re excited to meet that demand by offering a wood base on high and mid-back options.”

Jax wood base models start at $1,995 list. To learn more about the award-winning Jax Collection, go to 9to5seating.com.

New Products and New Look at NeoCon

9to5 Seating will be returning to NeoCon in person this year. The seating leader plans to unveil a new showroom that reflects the approach to their award-winning product design: inspiring design, versatile, flexible and comfortable.

9to5 Seating’s new showroom was created by acclaimed Chicago design firm Kuchar Design Studio with the goal of creating a clean, “gallery” feel that can be embellished and modified over time. With curved platforms and rugs in natural shapes, the space aims to be both modern and inviting, in synch with the brand’s seating.

The new space uniquely expresses 9to5 Seating’s design direction, where products can be used for different purposes throughout the course of a day. According to Sarah Kuchar, owner and creative director of Kuchar Design Studio, “the flow of color through the space – a nod to the brand’s name – was inspired by daylight from morning to night, moving from warm tones to cool and back to warm just as the sun rises and sets.” Vignettes with tinted glass backdrops create a sense of the changing light of a day. Throughout the showroom, this motif of morning-to-night serves as a backdrop to task, conference and lounge seating.

“We’re excited to unveil our new showroom and showcase some versatile design touches this year in the return to NeoCon,” said Dara Mir, President and CEO of 9to5 Seating. “The new space allows us to highlight the design-centric offerings including the HÅG Capisco, Vox and Dash multi-purpose series, new wood leg bases options for the Lilly and Jax collections and the award-winning Sol, Mila and Jax lounge series.”

Visit 9to5 Seating at NeoCon in suite 10-95 to see the new showroom and product updates. Also, mark your calendars and come party in the new showroom Monday, Oct 4, 4 p.m. RSVP with your 9to5 Seating Representative.

For more information stay tuned via our social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter.

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