Herman Miller Embody® Chair

The Embody work chair is the modern benchmark for pressure distribution, natural alignment, and healthy movement. Its signature spinal design lets you manually fine-tune the fit to your back while the matrix of pixels in the seat and back automatically conform to your micro-movements.

Designed by Bill Stumpf and Jeff Weber, Embody facilitates natural movement so you can focus on your work. The narrow backrest lets you move your arms freely, encouraging air movement and better circulation. The Backfit adjustment and seat conform to your unique shape and distribute weight evenly. The tilt encourages natural movement, keeping your head aligned with your display and your spine in a neutral posture.

The Embody Chair is McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) Cradle-to-Cradle Silver certified and GREENGUARD certified. It has 42% recycled content, is 95% recyclable, and contains no PVCs.

MEASUREMENTS:

• Max Width: 29.5 inch


• Max Height: 43.5 inch


• Seat Height: 16 - 20.5 inch

MATERIALS:

Cast aluminum base and arm posts. Polypropylene back frame with independent pixel support matrix. Foam seat with multi-layer textile covering. No PVC materials used in construction.

HELPFUL NOTES:

• Fully adjustable arms. Arms have a 6" vertical and 6" horizontal adjustment range


• Tilt and Swivel: Adjustable tilt range (4 settings). Chair swivels 360˚


• Seat depth adjusts from 15" to 18", in 6 locking positions


• Multi-Floor Casters (C7)


• Ships fully assembled


• 44% recycled content; 95% recyclable


• GREENGUARD® Gold certified Level™ 3 certified


• Warranty 12 years

FAQ

What is the Embody back made from?

A pixelated polymer matrix — a grid of individually flexible polymer pivots that move in three dimensions with your spine. Unlike mesh stretched over a rigid frame, the entire back surface responds independently to your shape and movement throughout the day.

How does Embody differ from Aeron?

Aeron focuses on airflow and pressure distribution via the Pellicle suspension mesh. Embody focuses on spinal micromovement — the pixelated back encourages continuous subtle postural adjustment rather than locking you into a supported position.

Is Embody certified for environmental performance?

Yes. MBDC Cradle to Cradle Silver certified, and GREENGUARD certified for low chemical emissions. It contains 42% recycled content and is 95% recyclable by weight.

Can Embody fit different body sizes?

Yes — seat depth, seat height, arm width, arm height, arm depth, arm pivot, tilt tension, and back width all adjust. Unlike Aeron, Embody comes in one size and fits a wide range through adjustment.

Bill Stumpf

US, 1936 - 2006

"I work best when I'm pushed to the edge. When I'm at the point where my pride is subdued, where I'm innocent again. Herman Miller knows how to push me that way, mainly because the company still believes—years after D.J. De Pree first told me—that good design isn't just good business, it's a moral obligation. Now that's pressure." - Bill Stumpf

William Eugene "Bill" Stumpf was a designer for Herman Miller who helped design the Aeron (with Don Chadwick) and Embody chairs (with Jeff Weber). It was at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where Stumpf, working with specialists in orthopedic and vascular medicine, conducted extensive research into ergonomics, specifically in the way people sit.

Stumpf's association with Herman Miller began in 1970 when he joined the staff of the Herman Miller Research Corporation. After establishing his own firm in 1972, Stumpf created the Ergon chair, the first ergonomic work chair. Later, in collaboration with Don Chadwick, he produced the groundbreaking Equa and iconic Aeron chairs. He also was principal designer for the Ethospace system.

During his lifetime, Stumpf—a key figure in Herman Miller's transformation into a research-based, problem-solving innovator—received numerous awards for his work. He was named the winner of the 2006 National Design Award in Product Design, an award presented posthumously by the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Stumpf died in 2006.

Shop all designs by Bill Stumpf

Jeff Weber

Canada, 1984

"I've always believed that good design is a blend of art and science, to use that combination in ways that positively impact how people live and work is really exciting to me." - Jeff Weber

Since Jeff Weber was a young boy, he has always been facinated with the way things worked, and has never thought about doing anything else other than becoming an industrial designer. Today he uses his considerable talents to improve the human condition by designing products that enhance people's lives—at home and at work.

While Weber's work includes a wide spectrum of products, he became interested in furniture design when he teamed up with Bill Stumpf, who worked with Herman Miller for 30 years. With an emphasis on results, an integral and important aspect in his design process is research. When designing Herman Miller's Embody chair, for example, Weber and the Herman Miller team spent nearly two years talking with experts in various fields of medicine, from specialists in upper-extremity conditions to optometrists and neurologists. It was all in an effort to gain a real understanding of what it takes "to support a body in space in a healthful way and enable motion at the same time," he says.

Weber says the most satisfying part of his work is watching someone enjoying the final outcome of his efforts. "Seeing someone sitting in a chair and appreciating the logic and rationale behind it is very gratifying."

Shop all designs by Jeff Weber