Haworth · Office Chairs
Maari Chair 5-Star Base with Upholstered
Lower concern; upholstered office chairs rarely use PFAS-heavy coatings, but Haworth discloses nothing.
The Maari Chair's upholstered seat and standard 5-star base pose lower inherent PFAS risk compared to stain-resistant textiles or specialty coatings. However, Haworth provides no public disclosure of fabric treatments, flame retardants, or base material composition.
Shop Haworth on Amazon →Material
upholstered fabric, 5-star base (likely aluminum or plastic)
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 Maari Chair combines an upholstered fabric seat/back with a 5-star base (typically aluminum or reinforced nylon). Upholstered office furniture can harbor flame retardants (often added to meet commercial flammability codes) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during off-gassing, particularly in the first weeks. The 5-star base material is critical: aluminum bases are inert and low-risk; plastic bases may leach additives if poorly formulated, though this is rare in commercial furniture.
The brand's record and disclosure
Haworth is a major commercial furniture manufacturer with a general sustainability posture, but offers no publicly detailed chemical ingredient disclosure for the Maari Chair. The company has not published a PFAS policy or third-party certifications (e.g., Greenguard, ISO 14001) specific to this model. This silence is not unusual for office chair makers and does not indicate proven harm, but it limits third-party verification of flame retardant or VOC claims.
How it compares in its category
Upholstered office chairs from mainstream brands (Herman Miller, Steelcase, Knoll) similarly lack detailed chemical disclosures for most models. Haworth's positioning in mid-to-upper commercial segment suggests manufacturing controls are in place, but peer brands are not markedly more transparent. Comparison shopping on Greenguard certification or explicit low-VOC fabric claims would reveal tighter environmental controls if that is a priority.
If you buy it
Unpack and allow 24-72 hours of ventilation in a well-aired space to off-gas VOCs; odor typically diminishes rapidly. Clean upholstered surfaces with a dry brush or soft vacuum; avoid liquids unless the fabric is marked cleanable. Inspect the base periodically for cracks or loose fasteners (particularly the gas cylinder and tilt mechanism), as these are wear items. If flame-retardant off-gassing remains a concern, request a material safety data sheet from your supplier before purchase.
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 (halogenated or antimony-based) in upholstered fabric
Commercial upholstered office furniture typically incorporates flame retardants to meet BIFMA or NFPA standards. Haworth does not disclose the specific retardant chemistry for the Maari Chair's fabric. Halogenated or antimony-based retardants, if present, can off-gas or transfer to skin contact, though levels in compliant furniture are below acute toxicity thresholds.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and off-gassing from upholstery and foam
New upholstered furniture routinely off-gases formaldehyde and other VOCs for 1-4 weeks post-delivery. No third-party testing data (e.g., Greenguard Gold certification) is available for this specific model. Off-gassing is rarely hazardous at room scale but can cause minor respiratory irritation in poorly ventilated spaces.
Base material leaching (if plastic)
If the 5-star base is unreinforced or recycled plastic, minor additive migration (plasticizers, UV stabilizers) is theoretically possible under stress, but this is not documented for commercial furniture bases and would represent negligible exposure in a seated environment.
Formaldehyde resins in textile finishing or adhesives
Textiles and fabric adhesives may contain formaldehyde-based resins for wrinkle resistance or bonding. Industrial upholstery typically uses lower-formaldehyde formulations than apparel, and off-gassing is mitigated by ventilation. Haworth publishes no formaldehyde limit for this product.
Azo dyes in upholstery fabric colorants
High-quality commercial upholstery suppliers generally avoid azo dyes banned under EU and ZDHC standards, but Haworth does not explicitly certify this for the Maari Chair fabric. No recalls or testing failures are recorded for this product line.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 68% 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.