Herman Miller and Berlin-based Studio 7.5 have revisited the Mirra 2 Chair and Stool, reducing the design’s carbon footprint by rethinking how every element could be more sustainably made. The refreshed design leans into material innovations while furthering the chair’s performance-enhancing technologies and expanding its styling options. The result is a new Mirra 2 that is physically lighter and gentler on the environment. Since its debut, Mirra 2 has steadily advanced towards becoming Herman Miller’s most sustainable performance seating design. In the early 2000s, Herman Miller partnered with global environmental experts MBDC, creators of the Cradle to Cradle Certified Programme, the global benchmark for products that are safe, circular and responsibly made to establish ‘Design for the Environment’ protocols. These principles guided the development of the original Mirra.
A decade later, the design saw its first major update. Introduced in 2013, Mirra 2 focused on dematerialisation, making the chair 30 percent lighter than its predecessor. Now, the latest iteration builds on that foundation, incorporating significantly more recycled content and reducing the chair’s carbon footprint by up to 17 percent compared to the previous version. The chair’s nylon base and spine are now made entirely from recycled material. The carbon footprint reduction across the updated Mirra 2 portfolio is expected to match the greenhouse gas emissions from driving 4.7 million miles in a typical petrol-powered car or the energy required to charge 121 million smartphones and keep them powered for a full day.
