Ergonomic Office Chair Market Report
According to the market data research on ergonomic office chairs by BesResearch, the global market size of ergonomic office chairs reached 56.69 billion yuan (RMB) in 2022, while the Chinese market size stood at 17.619 billion yuan. China’s office furniture market is extremely large, yet it currently lacks a brand with an absolute leading position. A polarized pattern has emerged between high-end imported brands and low-cost, unknown ODM (Original Design Manufacturer) and OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) enterprises.
Over 80% of the ergonomic chair business of domestic enterprises falls under the ToB (Business-to-Business) category (including foreign trade exports). In the ToC (Consumer-to-Business) brand segment, there is no "dark horse" that stands out prominently in terms of business scale or technological R&D.
The industry benchmark for office chairs!
Surveys indicate that major global manufacturers of ergonomic office chairs include Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, and HNI Corporation. The top four global manufacturers collectively hold over 10% of the market share. In China’s high-end market segment, the dominant brands remain Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, and others. These companies’ product design and technological R&D serve as a bellwether for the entire industry, with every move they make attracting widespread attention from the sector.
In 2023, Herman Miller launched an ergonomic chair named Asari, a collaborative product with Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa. The release of this product signals Herman Miller’s focus on the ToC market for ergonomic chairs. Originally, 95% of Herman Miller’s business targeted the ToB market; now, it is also vying for a share of the ToC market. Particularly after the pandemic, as office environments have changed, workers’ demand for remote work has grown increasingly, and they have higher requirements for the office environment as well as the functionality and appearance of office chairs.
Ben Watson, President of Herman Miller, stated: “The evolution of work styles means that the needs for home and office spaces have changed. The Asari chair, developed in collaboration with the visionary designer Naoto Fukasawa, meets the needs of today’s workers through intuitive adjustability, innovative leathers and textiles, a sleek and aesthetically pleasing appearance, and ergonomic performance.”
Upon in-depth investigation, it is found that Naoto Fukasawa is a professor at Tama Art University in Japan, the Chief Design Consultant for MUJI, and the founder of the ±0 brand. Additionally, he has designed products for Apple, Issey Miyake, Toshiba, and Hitachi. Beyond his work with MUJI, Naoto Fukasawa has accumulated numerous honors and established himself as a top figure in industrial design. In his early career, he joined “ID two”—the predecessor of the globally renowned design firm IDEO. In 1996, he returned to Japan to establish IDEO’s Japanese branch, providing design consulting services for leading Japanese enterprises.
The Sponge Chair Trend Embraced by International Brands—This Enterprise Spotted the Opportunity Two Years Ago
It is reported that this ToC market opportunity was also recognized by another brand, ZUOWE, as early as 2020. In 2020, ZUOWE collaborated with IDEO, a world-famous consulting firm, to conduct in-depth research on the evolution of domestic work environments. The research revealed that after the pandemic, more and more people opted for remote work, which would inevitably bring changes to work environments and people’s moods. In response to this shift, Boao Group and IDEO (with 30 years of experience in manufacturing and R&D of luxury car seats) built ZUOWE from scratch—a brand of office chairs tailored to meet the office needs of the new era.
ZUOWE’s core proposition is to deliver comfort and efficiency for remote work. To address the broader demand for office chairs in the retail market, it places greater emphasis on the comfort, design, and functionality of sponge chairs and launched its B2C (Business-to-Consumer) brand strategy.
In 2020, IDEO and ZUOWE jointly designed the Inspire Fit ergonomic chair—a product with a unique market positioning that sets it apart from 99% of chairs available on the market. Since its launch, ZUOWE Inspire Fit quickly became a “dark horse” in the industry, creating a sensation.
After its release, ZUOWE office chairs entered the international market, being launched in countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, Australia, Thailand, and Malaysia. The brand also won a number of international design awards, including the 2021 Red Dot Design Award (Germany), the 2021 Good Design Award (Japan, also known as G-mark), and the 2021 IDEA (International Design Excellence Awards) in the United States.
The trendsetter for stylish home office foam chairs!
In-depth analysis reveals that the Asari chair launched by Herman Miller in 2023 and the flagship Fit ergonomic chair released by ZUOWE in 2020 both embody the same design philosophy, which is reflected in their respective value propositions:
“Hard working soft seating” (the product concept conveyed by Asari) VS “Creating a superior sitting experience” (the product concept conveyed by ZUOWE Fit)
Enterprises in the industry have long coveted the “pie” of the ToC sponge chair segment for ergonomic chairs. However, it was ZUOWE and Herman Miller that “had the vision” to recognize the trend, anticipate market development, keep up with market demand, and quickly launch new products to seize market share.
As reflected in the product concepts advocated by Herman Miller and ZUOWE, office chairs today have become a symbol of balancing work and life. Sponge chairs, with their comfort and strong functionality, have also become favorites for remote work. In an era where work and life environments are increasingly integrated, office chairs are no longer merely tools for efficiency—they must not only meet people’s ergonomic functional needs but also provide emotional comfort and a sense of overall well-being.
