Quality Certifications
Since our founding in 1989, we have always taken product quality and durability very seriously. We back up our commitments with a robust program of product testing, both at the component level and for fully finished products.
Testing and certification of office seating in Australia and New Zealand is principally carried out by Furntech-AFRDI, the Australasian Furnishing Research & Development Institute. AFRDI is a government-authorised non-profit organisation which tests and certifies furniture to Australian and New Zealand government standards AS/NZS 4438 and their own established certifications including environmental sustainability certification, AFRDI Green Tick. Furntech-AFRDI have also developed their own suite of rated load performance and durability certifications, and their laboratory is independently accredited by NATA to ISO 17025. Additionally we use certifications issued by BIFMA in Michigan, USA and CATAS in Udine, Italy.
Below is an informational summary on certifications that specific products in our range have been tested to, either by ourselves or our suppliers.
AS/NZS 4438 Level 6
Ergonomic and Durability Standard certified by AFRDI
The government standard for computer chairs in Australia and New Zealand is the Australian/New Zealand Standard for Height Adjustable Swivel Office Chairs – AS/NZS 4438(1997).
AS/NZS 4438 offers 3 levels of certification – with Level 6 being the most severe and regarded as the market standard. An office chair certified to AFRDI Level 6 will meet the needs of most commercial environments. Level 6 chairs should be able to withstand extremely severe conditions of use, such as police stations, military installations, control rooms and use in heavy industry.
The ergonomic criteria of AS/NZS 4438 broadly align with European Standard EN 1335-1, and the testing methods broadly align with those of British Standard BS 5459.
See all our AFRDI Level 6 certified chairs here.
AFRDI 142 Rated Load
Weight Rating Standard certified by AFRDI
AFRDI 142 tests office chairs for rated load performance, based on both user weight and shift length. AFRDI 142 is the only standard in Australasia which certifies office chairs for weight ratings. The standard was specifically designed to certify chairs as suitable for use by heavier people and/or in longer-shift or extended use situations.
- AFRDI 142 is available in four options:
- 135 SS People up to and including 135 kg for single 8 hour shift operations
- 135 MS People up to and including 135 kg for multiple shift operations
- 160 SS People up to and including 160 kg for single 8 hour shift operations
- 160 MS People up to and including 160 kg for multiple shift operations
Any other ‘weight ratings’ are not tested and certified ratings, but are simply supplier recommendations.
View our 160kg certified chairs and our 135kg certified chairs.
ANSI/BIFMA X5.1
Ergonomic and Durability Standard
BIFMA is the North American trade association for business and institutional furniture manufacturers. They sponsor the development and refinement of testing standards, the most common of which is ANSI/BIFMA X5.1.
ANSI/BIFMA X5.1 was developed as a standard by which to evaluate the safety and performance (durability and structural adequacy) of swivel office chairs. It was developed based on single-user occupancy, accommodating up to the 95th percentile male body weight (currently 125kg). This standard is used to certify a number of the products we source from South Korea and other nearby countries.
EN 16139:2013 and EN 1728:2012
Ergonomic and Durability Standard
These are European standards for testing strength and durability of seating for adults. EN 16139 is for 'non-domestic seating', based on users weighing up to 110kg, while EN 1728 is more general in nature, developed for 'all seating for adults'. Tests include static loading, impact and durability. Both standards are used to certify many of the products we source from Italy, Turkey and other European nations; the testing is typically conducted by CATAS or COSMOB.
