Haworth · Office Chairs
Haworth Assure Office Chair
Office furniture carries lower inherent PFAS risk, but Haworth's material transparency is limited.
Haworth Assure is a mid-range office chair with no disclosed PFAS treatment. Office furniture typically poses lower PFAS risk than apparel or cookware, but the brand provides minimal specifics on foam formulations, fabric treatments, or coatings, leaving stain-resistance composition unclear. No third-party verification found.
Shop Haworth on Amazon →Material
foam, upholstery fabric, metal base
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Category baseline
furniture is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
Safe base material
Made from a material with no inherent PFAS use (ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber).
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
The Assure uses polyurethane foam cushioning, standard metal base (likely steel or aluminum), and upholstery fabric that varies by configuration. Polyurethane foam is chemically stable once cured and does not off-gas formaldehyde at typical office temperatures. The metal base poses no leaching risk under normal use. Upholstery fabric is the variable: Haworth offers multiple textile options, and fiber content (polyester, nylon, wool blends) determines trace contaminant risk.
The brand's record and disclosure
Haworth is a large, established office furniture manufacturer with ISO 14001 environmental certification and participation in the Sustainable Furnishings Council. However, the brand does not publish detailed chemical inventories or material safety datasheets for consumers, and specific flame retardant formulations in foam and fabric are not publicly disclosed. No major product recalls or safety controversies are on record for the Assure line. The brand's silence on PFAS use in stain treatments reflects broader industry opacity rather than flagged concern.
How it compares in its category
Office chairs generally carry lower chemical hazard profiles than upholstered sofas or bedding because exposure duration is intermittent and seated contact is not intimate. The Assure is mid-to-premium tier and meets or exceeds BIFMA (Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association) standards, which include emissions testing. Budget office chairs from unbranded suppliers often lack this third-party vetting. High-end alternatives (Herman Miller, Steelcase) publish more granular material data but command higher cost.
If you buy it
Ensure the chair is used in well-ventilated office space; new foam has minimal off-gassing, but air circulation accelerates any trace emissions. Clean upholstery annually with mild soap and water or professional textile cleaning to prevent dust and microbial buildup. Inspect foam and seams every 3-5 years for degradation; broken foam releases small particles but not chemical hazards if intact. Do not expose to direct heat or sunlight, which degrades polyurethane and fabric over time.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
Flame retardants in foam and fabric
Polyurethane foam in commercial office furniture typically contains added flame retardants (brominated or non-brominated compounds) to meet flammability codes. Haworth does not disclose specific formulations publicly. No ingestion or skin absorption pathway exists in normal chair use; risk is negligible unless foam is damaged and inhaled as dust.
Volatile organic compounds (VOC) off-gassing
New polyurethane foam and standard upholstery fabrics emit trace VOCs (mainly from adhesives and dyes) for 48-72 hours after manufacture. The Assure meets BIFMA e3 emissions standards, which cap formaldehyde and other VOCs. Reported off-gassing complaints for this model are absent from public records.
Azo dyes in colored upholstery
Fabric dyes in office chair upholstery may include azo compounds, which can migrate to skin in rare cases of excessive sweat or damp storage. Haworth fabric options vary; premium eco-labels are available but not default. This poses minimal risk during normal office use in dry environments.
Antimony in polyester upholstery (if polyester blend)
If upholstery is polyester-based, antimony trioxide may be present as a catalyst residue. Levels are typically below safety thresholds and non-bioavailable in finished textile. Risk increases only if fabric is damaged and fibers are ingested or inhaled long-term.
Formaldehyde in adhesives and binders
Modern office furniture adhesives are often water-based or low-formaldehyde; Haworth's BIFMA certification includes formaldehyde testing. No evidence of formaldehyde exceedances in the Assure model is on public record.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 60% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
More office chairs grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.