Aeron® Onyx by Herman Miller
designed by Bill Stumf and Don Chadwick
The Aeron you love, just a little more sustainable. Introducing Aeron Onyx!
Innovation is at the heart of every Aeron. From materials development to ergonomics, Herman Miller is pushing the bounds of what office seating could and should be. With Aeron Onyx, they’ve extended this design philosophy into alleviating one of the biggest threats to our oceans and waterways.
While already composed of 50% recycled plastic materials, Aeron Onyx ups its game incorporating up to 2.5 pounds of ocean-bound plastic into every Onyx Edition chair. This seemingly small change is estimated to divert over 44 metric tons of plastic annually away from our oceans. Thousands of plastic water bottles, containers and fishing nets are now given a second life as part of the most iconic office chair ever designed. And given Aeron’s legendary durability, these plastics will stay out of the waste stream for decades to come, eliminating the need for unnecessary production.
Aeron Onyx is not only about sustainability. It has the looks and features to back it up. Onyx boldly updates Aeron for a high-contrast appearance that instantly stands out. Its dramatic, ultra-matte shade blends perfectly in any home office or corporate environment.
For an even more dramatic look, Onyx is also available in a stunning black and polished aluminum chassis and base combination.
Herman Miller is a founding member of NextWave Plastics, a consortium working to develop the first global network of ocean-bound plastic supply chains.
PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS- Constructed with 2.5 pounds of ocean-bound plastic
- NEW ultra-matte black onyx finish
- Adjustable Lumbar Support (optional)
- Adjustable PostureFit SL™ (optional)
- Custom Fit with Fewer Dial Turns
- Slimer Tilt Mechanism
- Breathable fabric keeps you cool and comfortable.
An Official Herman Miller Retailer
We're an authorized Herman Miller retailer. This means we're official. We sell new factory-direct chairs complete with Herman Miller's own 12-year warranty. You can purchase confidently from Smart Furniture knowing you'll be receiving genuine Herman Miller product.
12-year Warranty
Our Aeron chairs come with a 12-year Herman Miller warranty. This warranty is a promise that Aeron lives up to the highest standards in the industry. If for some reason the chair fails to live up to this standard, Herman Miller will ship and repair it at no cost to you. To learn more read the Herman Miller Warranty.
Aeron, Remastered to Perform Today
When Herman Miller released the Aeron chair in 1994, it quickly began to change the landscape. With a comprehensive approach to ergonomics, anthropometrics, and user functionality, it performed like no chair that had come before. In doing so, it also ended up looking like no chair that had come before. With Aeron, materials don’t simply contribute to the appearance of the chair, they are the design.
In revisiting Aeron for today’s work and workers, every effort was made to significantly improve upon the comfort and performance of the original, while also creating a beautiful, harmonious look-and-feel through updated colors, materials, and finishes.
Through hundreds of samples, tests, and iterations, Herman Miller arrived at three tightly curated, holistic material expressions. Graphite is the darkest, a modern take on the original Aeron. Carbon offers a balanced neutral that works equally well in warm and cool environments. Mineral is the lightest, ideal for today’s more open environments.
Created through a unique painting process, Aeron’s satin aluminum finish offers a luster redolent of high-end electronic equipment. Colors were developed to harmonize with the chair’s other components.
Details such as these contribute to a product worthy of the Aeron name, but they are not enough. Each detail contributes to a seamless whole. To simplify the specification process, Herman Miller now offers Aeron in a range of three tightly curated, holistic material expressions: Graphite, Carbon, and Mineral.
Video: How to Adjust Your Aeron
About Herman Miller
Founded in West Michigan in 1905, Herman Miller has grown to become a world-recognized furniture brand. As a design leader and furniture innovator, they’ve partnered with some of the most influential and iconic designers of the 20th century—designers like Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Isamu Noguchi, Alexander Girard and more. In doing so, they’ve produced pieces that have become classics of industrial design, many of which are featured on permanent display in museums like the New York Museum of Contemporary Art (MoMA).
Herman Miller continued that legacy in 1994 by partnering with designers Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick. They went about developing an office chair unlike any before it. Bringing together the latest in ergonomic research and design, they developed the legendary Classic Aeron chair, the best selling office chair in the world.
Today, Herman Miller continues that tradition of design forward thinking and innovation. Partnering with the next generation of industrial designers—such as Studio 7.5 and Yves Behar— as they tackle the ergonomic and anthropometric challenges we face in today’s modern work life.
Dimensions & Measurements
- A–Small Chair Size
Recommended if you are:
Height: 4’10" - 5’9” tall
Weight: 90 - 150 lb - B–Medium Chair Size
Recommended if you are:
Height: 5’2” - 6’6” tall
Weight: 130 - 325 lb - C–Large Chair Size
Recommended if you are:
Height: 5’3” - 6’6” tall
Weight: 180 - 350 lb
Aeron Sizing Chart
To meet the needs of the broadest possible set of body types, the original Herman Miller Aeron was designed in three proportional sizes. This approach to inclusiveness became an integral element of Aeron’s DNA. That’s why the new Aeron Chair is available in the same, body-fitting A-B-C sizing.
Use the chart below to help you decide which size of Aeron is right for your body. Height and weight are used here as key indicators of suitable chair-size choice. The most common size is B. If you have questions about which size is best for your needs, our product specialists can help, call us at 877.696.3342.
How to use the sizing chart:- Find the point of intersection for your height and weight.
- Note the size that is applicable.
One Size Does Not Fit All
With chairs, one size does not fit all people. Based on an end-to-the-middle design approach, Aeron comes in three sizes (A,B, and C) to provide an inclusive fit that delivers the same level of comfort to the largest range of body types of any office chair.
Shipping Information
Visit our Shipping and Delivery page to learn more.
- Packaging Dimensions: 41" x 28" x 27"
- Package Weight: 53 lb
- Light Assembly Required: Yes. Seat back needs to be attached to base.
Key Features
Even Pressure Distribution
Pellicle , the innovative, elastomeric suspension of the original Aeron, eliminated circulation-restricting pressure points and stretched the boundaries of material design. New 8Z Pellicle™ pushes the material to a whole new zone—eight of them.
Exceptional Breathability
By doing away with foam and fabric, Aeron solved one of biggest prolonged sitting predicaments: the buildup of heat and humidity close to the body. Pellicle allows air, body heat, and water vapor to pass through the seat and backrest to help maintain even and comfortable skin temperatures.
Superior Posture
If an active body is at its strongest when standing, chest open and pelvis tilted slightly forward, it makes sense that you would be better off sitting like that too. And that’s exactly where PostureFit SL™ comes in. Adjustable, individual pads stabilize the sacrum and support the lumbar region of the spine to mimic that healthful standing position.
Natural Movement
Staying in one position reduces the natural pumping action of the muscles that delivers nutrients to the intervertebral disks. The Aeron chair’s tilt allows it to move with the body in such a natural way that people can shift from forward to reclining postures without even thinking about it. Today’s slimmer, updated tilt mechanism delivers a more seamless experience of movement (and stasis) to the sitter through a smoother trajectory and optimal balance point.
Balanced Recline
Aeron lets you shift from forward to reclining postures without a thought. A slimmer, updated tilt mechanism delivers a seamless experience of movement and balance. Through a smoother trajectory and optimal balance point, it keeps people in contact with the seat back and in control of their movement throughout the entire range of recline.
Customized Fit with Less Dial Turns
The original design made it possible to adjust the amount of recline and resistance to the sitter’s liking. Depending on the sitter’s scale, this involved up to 50 turns of the tilt mechanism. Advancements in materials and engineering allowed Herman Miller to scale back the amount of turning, twisting, and time spent customizing a personal fit. Now the sitter can reach a custom recline in 13 turns or less.
Eco-Friendly
Indoor Advantage Gold certification is SCS Global Services' highest level of indoor air quality performance for furniture. The certification ensures that furniture products support a healthy indoor environment by meeting strict chemical emission limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Tilt Mechanism Options
Standard Tilt (Standard)
Standard Tilt comes with a tilt tension knob that allows you to adjust the amount of effort needed to recline comfortably while feeling balanced and supported. It does not have a tilt limiter mechanism.
Tilt Limiter with Seat Angle Adjustment (Optional)
Tilt Limiter lets you limit the recline range between fully upright and fully reclined. The tension control lets you adjust the amount of effort needed to recline comfortably while feeling balanced and supported. Recline range can be limited at one of three postures: upright, mid-recline, or full-recline.
Back Support Options
Additional back support on the Aeron Chair is optional, although, highly-recommended for those who sit for long periods of time or suffer from lower back pain.
Adjustable Lumbar Support (Optional)
Adjustable Lumbar Support : Adjusts to support the natural curve of the lumbar region of your spine. Lumbar support can be adjusted vertically over a 4.5 inch range. The Remastered Aeron Chair Lumbar Kit can be purchased separately and installed on the Basic Back Aeron at a later date.
PostureFit SL™ (Optional)
PostureFit SL is an optional lower lumbar back support device available on the Aeron chair. It offers the best lower back support for anyone suffering from lower back pain or discomfort. Unlike its predecessor, PostureFit SL is adjustable.
The original PostureFit was developed to provide back support that comfortably sustains the pelvis in its natural forward tilt—the position the body holds while standing powerfully upright. It did so by adjusting to fill the void between the contours of the sacral-pelvic area and the backrest. Subsequently, PostureFit has become a critical part of every Herman Miller performance chair.
Today, by incorporating adjustable sacral and lumbar support, PostureFit SL brings the technology to a whole new level. It supports the sacral region to nurture the natural S-shape of the spine, rotate the pelvis forward, and activate healthful posture—all while sitting upright. A secondary pad provides comfort and support to the lumbar region of the spine. Together, they help strengthen the spine to produce what Herman Miller calls “power posture.” PostureFit SL puts the sitter in complete control of his or her posture with the new Aeron Chair’s premier spinal support system.
Please Note: PostureFit SL™ cannot be purchased separately and installed at a later date.
Arm Options
Stationary Arms
- Arms are set at the following heights:
- A (Small Chair Size): 7.8” from seat
- B (Medium Chair Size): 8.5” from seat
- C (Large Chair Size): 8.5” from seat
Height-Adjustable Arms
Height-Adjustable Arms adjust from a height of 6.8 inches above the seat to 10.8 inches above the seat. This gives you the ability to support your arms at a comfortable height.
Adjustable Arms
Adjustable Arms adjust from a height of 6.8 inches above the seat to 10.8 inches above the seat and are able to pivot 15 degrees outward and 17.5 degrees inward.
Caster Options
Standard Casters (Standard)
Designed for standard commercial and office carpet these 2.5-inch casters are the most commonly selected caster option.
Hardwood Casters (Optional)
Designed for non-carpeted floors. They have a thin rubberized coating to prevent floor marring. In addition, hard-floor casters have less roll to prevent the chair from rolling across the room when you push away from your desk.
The Evolution of Aeron
Designed by Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick, 1994
Remastered by Don Chadwick, 2016
“How can you take something that is so well-known and rework it completely, and at the same time not lose the essence of it?” - Don Chadwick
In the early 90s Bill Stumpf and Don Chadwick teamed up to take on a new challenge, to build a chair that could be health-positive, meet the cross-performance needs of workers everywhere, as well as be inclusively-sized for all body types and consider its environment in the process. With Aeron, they achieve this and more, an office chair the unlike any before it and the world responded by making Aeron the best-selling and most recognizable office chair of all time.
Fast forward to the present, and the same criteria serve as the foundation for a whole new Aeron. Just as iconic films and albums are updated for new mediums, standards, and audiences, Aeron has been remastered based on Herman Miller’s latest research around the science of sitting, advancements in materials, manufacturing, and technology.
The office of 1994 would be largely unrecognizable today. With all the changes that have occurred from the internet to open offices, it only made sense that Aeron should also change to better meet the needs of people today.
There are 3 different options for arms on an Aeron:
Fixed Arms
Arms are set at the following heights:
A (Small) 7.8 inches from seat
B (Medium) 8.5 inches from seat
C (Large) 8.5 inches from seat
Height-Adjustable Arms
Adjust from a height of 6.8 inches above the seat to 10.9 inches above the seat. Cannot pivot.
Fully-Adjustable Arms
Adjust from a height of 6.8 inches above the seat to 10.9 inches above the seat. Slide backward and forward over a range of 2.5 inches, and pivot 15 degrees outward and 17.5 degrees inward.
Recommendation
Most people choose the fully-adjustable arms because it allows you to rest your shoulders and maintain an ergonomic positure regardless of your height or desk.
Regardless of the tilt option selected, Aeron has a knob that allows you to set the tension of leaning back in the chair.
Standard Tilt
Standard Tilt comes with a tilt tension knob that allows you to adjust the amount of effort needed to recline comfortably while feeling balanced and supported. It does not have a tilt limiter mechanism.
Tilt Limiter & Seat Angle
Tilt Limiter lets you limit the recline range between fully upright and fully reclined. The tension control lets you adjust the amount of effort needed to recline comfortably while feeling balanced and supported. Recline range can be limited at one of three postures: upright, mid-recline, or full-recline. Seat Angle Adjustment changes the angle of the seat from horizontal to a 5-degree forward tilt for people who sit at a slightly forward angle as they work.
Recommendation:
The most common reason for return is people choosing the standard tilt instead of the tilt limiter and seat angle configuration.
Zonal Back Support
Zonal Back Support is provided by the 8Z Pellicle material in the backrest.
Adjustable Lumbar Support
Adjusts to support the natural curve of the lumbar region of your spine. Lumbar support can be adjusted vertically over a 4.5-inch range.
Adjustable PostureFit SL Support
SL refers to the sacral/lumbar region of the spine or the base of the spine up to the midback. Two individual pads flex independently; the top pad supports your lumbar, the bottom stabilizes your sacrum. System can be adjusted to fit the curve of your spine.
Carpet Casters
Hard plastic that works pretty well on carpet.
Hard Floor Casters
Softer casters with polyurethane treads that enable better traction on hard surfaces. They don't make loud noises when rolling around.
