The Best Non-Toxic Office Chairs of 2026

We scored 15 office chairs for PFAS forever chemicals and other hazards, then ranked them safest first. The top pick is Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro at 75/100. Every score below links to the full breakdown of what earned it.

How to read these scores. PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Each grade is a model-based assessment built from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, brand disclosures, recalls and third-party lab results where they exist. Read the full rubric to see exactly what adds and removes points.
0% of the 15 office chairs we scored fail our PFAS and toxin screen.
PFAS Authority, September 2026. Free to cite with a link. See the full dataset.

The safest PFAS-free office chairs we have scored

  1. 1
    Autonomous ErgoChair Pro

    Autonomous

    ErgoChair Pro

    Steel frame, upholstered fabric seat/back, plastic/aluminum components

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade49Poor
    🔥

    Flame retardants

    High concern

    20
    💨

    Formaldehyde / VOCs

    Limited concern

    70
    💨

    Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from off-gassing

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern for core structure; upholstery treatment unknown, ask for transparency.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  2. 2
    Steelcase Think Chair

    Steelcase

    Think Chair

    steel frame, polymer backrest, foam seat

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade57Good
    🔥

    Flame retardants

    Limited concern

    70
    💨

    Volatile organic compound off-gassing from new foam and polymers

    Moderate concern

    45
    🫧

    Polymer backrest degradation and potential microplastic shedding

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower concern office chair with no evidence of intentional PFAS, but no public disclosure.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  3. 3
    Steelcase Series 2 Upholstered Chair

    Steelcase

    Series 2 Upholstered Chair

    upholstered fabric, foam cushioning, steel frame

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade45Poor
    🔥

    Flame retardants

    High concern

    20
    💨

    VOC off-gassing from polyurethane foam

    Limited concern

    70
    💨

    Formaldehyde / VOCs

    Limited concern

    70
    🫧

    Deterioration and particle release over time

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower concern for PFAS, but Steelcase discloses nothing, ask for transparency if concerned.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  4. 4
    Embody Chair Herman Miller

    Herman Miller

    Embody Chair Herman Miller

    Fabric (polyester/nylon blend) and aluminum/steel frame; no Teflon-family coating or water-resistant coating disclosed

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade63Good
    🎨

    Azo dyes (toxic breakdown products)

    Limited concern

    70
    ⚠️

    Antimony in polyester fiber

    Limited concern

    70
    🫧

    Microplastics

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower concern; no known PFAS-risk treatments, but Herman Miller discloses nothing on PFAS.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  5. 5
    Herman Miller Verus Task Chair

    Herman Miller

    Verus Task Chair

    cast aluminum frame, upholstered fabric seat/back, polyester mesh

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade63Good
    🔥

    Flame retardants

    Limited concern

    70
    🎨

    Heavy metals

    Limited concern

    70
    💨

    Foam off-gassing (volatile organic compounds)

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern for frame; upholstery fabric sourcing unclear, ask for material transparency.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  6. 6
    Herman Miller Sayl Chair

    Herman Miller

    Sayl Chair

    nylon and polypropylene plastics, aluminum frame

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade67Good
    💨

    Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) off-gassing from plastics

    Limited concern

    70
    🫧

    Plastic degradation and microplastic shedding over time

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern; typical office chair with no obvious fluorochemical triggers.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  7. 7
    Amia Chair Steelcase

    Steelcase

    Amia Chair Steelcase

    steel frame, foam, upholstered fabric

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade63Good
    ⚠️

    Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from polyurethane foam

    Limited concern

    70
    🔥

    Flame retardants

    Limited concern

    70
    🫧

    Microplastic shedding from synthetic fabric

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower concern; office chair with standard materials unlikely to contain PFAS, but no brand transparency.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy
  8. 8
    Autonomous Ergochair Avochair Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro+ Green Mesh

    Autonomous

    Ergochair Avochair Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro+ Green Mesh

    mesh fabric (polyester), steel frame

    PFAS Grade75Excellent
    Overall Grade63Good
    💨

    Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) off-gassing

    Limited concern

    70
    🫧

    Polyester microfiber shedding

    Limited concern

    70
    ⚠️

    Steel frame corrosion and rust contact

    Limited concern

    70

    Lower PFAS concern than treated textiles; mesh and steel pose minimal risk, but no brand disclosure.

    ⚠Risky category by default

    Why this gradeBuy

Every office chairs that passes, side by side

Sorted by score. Higher is safer. Scored against 3 hazards that apply to this category.

#Office ChairsScoreRatingMade of
1Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro75ExcellentSteel frame, upholstered fabric seat/back, plastic/aluminum components
2Steelcase Steelcase Think Chair75Excellentsteel frame, polymer backrest, foam seat
3Steelcase Steelcase Series 2 Upholstered Chair75Excellentupholstered fabric, foam cushioning, steel frame
4Herman Miller Embody Chair Herman Miller75ExcellentFabric (polyester/nylon blend) and aluminum/steel frame; no fluoropolymer or water-resistant coating disclosed
5Herman Miller Herman Miller Verus Task Chair75Excellentcast aluminum frame, upholstered fabric seat/back, polyester mesh
6Herman Miller Herman Miller Sayl Chair75Excellentnylon and polypropylene plastics, aluminum frame
7Steelcase Amia Chair Steelcase75Excellentsteel frame, foam, upholstered fabric
8Autonomous Autonomous Ergochair Avochair Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro+ Green Mesh75Excellentmesh fabric (polyester), steel frame

The office chairs we would skip

Lowest scoring in this category, worst first.

Autonomous ErgoChair Pro

Autonomous

ErgoChair Pro

Steel frame, upholstered fabric seat/back, plastic/aluminum components

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade49Poor
🔥

Flame retardants

High concern

20
💨

Formaldehyde / VOCs

Limited concern

70
💨

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from off-gassing

Limited concern

70

Lower PFAS concern for core structure; upholstery treatment unknown, ask for transparency.

⚠Risky category by default

Why this gradeBuy
Steelcase Think Chair

Steelcase

Think Chair

steel frame, polymer backrest, foam seat

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade57Good
🔥

Flame retardants

Limited concern

70
💨

Volatile organic compound off-gassing from new foam and polymers

Moderate concern

45
🫧

Polymer backrest degradation and potential microplastic shedding

Limited concern

70

Lower concern office chair with no evidence of intentional PFAS, but no public disclosure.

⚠Risky category by default

Why this gradeBuy
Steelcase Series 2 Upholstered Chair

Steelcase

Series 2 Upholstered Chair

upholstered fabric, foam cushioning, steel frame

PFAS Grade75Excellent
Overall Grade45Poor
🔥

Flame retardants

High concern

20
💨

VOC off-gassing from polyurethane foam

Limited concern

70
💨

Formaldehyde / VOCs

Limited concern

70
🫧

Deterioration and particle release over time

Limited concern

70

Lower concern for PFAS, but Steelcase discloses nothing, ask for transparency if concerned.

⚠Risky category by default

Why this gradeBuy

What we check on office chairs

  • Flame retardants. Chemicals added to foam and electronics, some persistent and bioaccumulative. EPA
  • Formaldehyde / VOCs. Off-gassing chemicals from some finishes, textiles, and pressed wood. ATSDR
  • Phthalates. Plastic softeners studied for endocrine effects. ATSDR

Full point-by-point rubric on the methodology page.

The office chairs brands that will not say

4 of the brands here publish nothing about PFAS at all. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is why none of them score well on disclosure.

Autonomous, Herman Miller, Humanscale, Steelcase.

Common questions about PFAS-free office chairs

Is office chairs PFAS free?

Mostly not. Of the 15 office chairs we have scored, 0% fail our PFAS and toxin screen, which leaves 15 that pass. The highest scoring is Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro at 75 out of 100. The lowest is Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro at 75.

What is the safest office chairs you have scored?

Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro, at 75 out of 100, which we band as Excellent. It is steel frame, upholstered fabric seat/back, plastic/aluminum components. The runner up is Steelcase Steelcase Think Chair at 75.

Which office chairs should I avoid?

The three lowest scoring we hold are Autonomous Autonomous ErgoChair Pro at 75, Steelcase Steelcase Think Chair at 75, Steelcase Steelcase Series 2 Upholstered Chair at 75. The problem with the first is that made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.

How can you tell if office chairs contain PFAS?

In this category we check for flame retardants, formaldehyde / vocs, phthalates. Chemicals added to foam and electronics, some persistent and bioaccumulative. Language like stain resistant, water repellent or easy release usually means fluorinated chemistry even when PFAS is never printed on the box.

Which office chairs brands will not say whether they use PFAS?

4 of the brands we scored in this category publish nothing about PFAS at all, including Autonomous, Herman Miller, Humanscale, Steelcase. Silence is not evidence of harm, but it is the reason those brands cannot score well on disclosure.

Do you lab test office chairs?

No. We score from published ingredient lists, materials, certifications, disclosures and third party lab results where they exist. Where a product has been independently tested we use that result and say so.

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Want to filter the whole category yourself? Browse all 15 office chairs.