Long-life products are one of the most important factors for a sustainable future. Savo’s recyclable design philosophy and layer-by-layer design allows all components to be taken apart, repaired and updated over time instead of replacing the entire product.
The circular use of furniture will help us reduce our climate impact. Savo’s office chairs have a layer-by-layer design that allows all components to be repaired and updated, instead of replacing an entire chair.
Our climate is affected by a variety of factors. To achieve a sustainable society, we must all take responsibility and protect the environment. The furniture industry’s environmental impact has created an awareness in the industry, giving rise to discussions on the circular economy. Because 85 percent of the climate emissions from furniture come from the materials, recycling can help us reduce its climate impact by 20–40 percent compared to buying new. While recyclable furniture design is good, it does not automatically provide lower overall environmental impact. Product lifetime is what actually matters most. Producing within the limits of the planet’s resources requires us to extend the life, value and functionality of products, components and materials.
At Savo, we believe taking responsibility and helping to achieve a sustainable future are important. For us, sustainable development is about integrating responsible behaviour into everything we do – from the very first design sketch to the final product. It’s why designing reusable chairs is something Savo has wholeheartedly adopted. Our design philosophy also includes using materials, energy and resources efficiently and intelligently to reduce our environmental impact. Because we endeavour to use the least possible material and aim for versatile functionality, our furniture’s layer-by-layer design allows each component to be renovated and upgraded, instead of replacing the entire piece of furniture. Savo helps drive the development of sustainable office chairs by designing innovative, recyclable products with long technical lifespans.
In keeping with its watchwords “reduce, reuse, repair, recycle” Savo makes office chairs according to a recyclable, layer-by-layer design that allows all parts to be removed, repaired or replaced. Timeless, flexible design with simple structures also delivers aesthetically sustainable products that stand the test of time. Layer-by-layer design not only means longer life, but also allows materials to be recycled when components or the entire piece of furniture has to be replaced. And because layer-by-layer also adds an extra dimension by allowing you to redesign and renew the chair whenever you need, we help you upgrade your furniture with new parts. This gives furniture new life without your having to buy a brand new piece. Savo chairs are simply built to last and be cherished.
Furniture design using the circular layer-by-layer philosophy can be redesigned and renewed whenever necessary. We will help you upgrade your products with new parts.
As a cross between an office chair and wooden chair that is sustainable in terms of the circular economy, Savo 360 is a typical example of our recyclable design philosophy. All components are removable and interchangeable, making it possible to change the seat’s appearance over time. Also, the classic wooden designs are built to last, making Savo 360 a chair you will want to cherish. In line with its overarching focus on sustainability, Savo uses recyclable materials in production. Savo 360 comprises 68 percent recycled and renewable materials and no less than 26 percent of the chair is made from FSC® certified* wood, which is a high proportion for an office chair. FSC® certified wood comes from responsibly managed forests and has a lower climate impact than recycled plastics and aluminium.
*FSC-C009111
Savo Spine, designed in collaboration with Form US With Love, is a sustainable chair that distinguishes itself by its layer-by-layer design. Its circular design formed the basis for creating Savo Spine as a modular platform with replaceable components. With flexibility as its primary characteristic, Spine can be remodelled to suit requirements or remedy wear. The design not only gives the platform aesthetic and ergonomic advantages, but also a sustainability that will stand the test of time.
Thanks to its layer-by-layer design, the chair is easy to customize and renovate as required by replacing components, repainting or reupholstering. This allows the product to enjoy new life without the customer having to invest in a brand new piece. Also, the material is easily recycled when all or part of Savo Spine has to be replaced. In this way, the chair not only achieves sustainability through its flexible, modifiable design, but also by promoting reuse and material recycling.
Sitting well is not the same as sitting still. We can sit comfortably and change our posture throughout the working day in flexible chairs that adapt to the body and provide support in all positions.
Savo Soul is an ergonomic office chair for everyone. The seat’s intuitive functions adjust immediately to the individual, letting the user sit comfortably all day long. Savo Soul can also be fine-tuned as necessary.
Poor ergonomics are among the most common occupational health and safety problems in offices today. An incorrect sitting posture has a negative impact on muscles, vertebrae and joints, and this can lead to back, neck and shoulder pain. Recently, our working methods have changed and these days many people work permanently or often remotely. In this case the risks are even greater, as we often lack basic ergonomic conditions such as comfortable office chairs or adjustable desks in the home. It’s not only bad posture that affects us – long-term sedentary behaviour can also be harmful to health. Movement and varying work positions have also been shown to reduce the risk of pain and repetitive strain injury. Our bodies simply feel better if they get to move! To achieve good ergonomics throughout the day, a workplace must be designed such that it prevents injury and illness. This could include working with an upright working posture, shoulders lowered and upper arms close to the body, or having a flexible chair that adapts to the body and encourages movement.
The Flexi Back function automatically follows the body’s natural movements, keeping your back upright and providing optimal support in all positions.
Savo’s intuitive design and superb ergonomics offer the most innovative seats on the market. Savo Soul was created to be ergonomic without being complex, so that body and chair are in perfect harmony. It’s a seat for everyone, it adapts instantly to the user and is so intuitive that everyone immediately understands how to set it up. The seat can also be fine-tuned to suit the user’s needs, allowing people to sit truly well all day long. The Flexi Back function automatically follows the body’s lateral movements, keeping your back upright and providing optimal support in all positions. Shift your position back and forth or from left to right and feel how Savo Soul keeps up with your movements!
The backrest and seat are synchronized for extra smooth comfort. They can even be tilted independently, and the backrest can be locked at four different angles.
The automatic back resistance setting allows you to lean back safely with comfortable support. The seat and backrest tilt individually, and the backrest can be locked at several angles. Savo Soul’s intuitive functionality encourages new ways of sitting and working, both in the workplace and the home office.
Sitting properly should be simple and is a necessary condition for well-being at work. Intuitive chairs that follow body movements and require no adjustment provide immediate comfort.
Savo Invite is an intuitive chair that helps you sit properly right away. With only a single control for height adjustment, Savo Invite is an ideal meeting chair at the office or activity-based workplaces where employees do not have their own, fixed places.
Sitting properly is a necessary condition for well-being, involvement and performance at work. As offices increasingly become venues for meetings and socializing, the demand for comfortable seating that suits everyone and needs no adjustment is also increasing. Simple and intuitive are the watchwords that make a good meeting chair, and one that is also ideal for activity-based workplaces where employees do not have their own, fixed places. In chairs with many adjustment settings, there is a risk that occupants will not adjust them, resulting in unsuitable postures. Sitting poorly often causes back pain, and can also lead to other aches and pains, repetitive strain injuries, fatigue and sick leave. By making furniture follow the way the body works, we create the necessary conditions for sitting properly. But because everyone is different, we have to take into account the needs of every user and create chairs that are not only comfortable, but also comfortable for everyone. This is particularly true of meeting chairs, which, unlike the personal office chair, must be able to suit many people without their having to make any major adjustments.
The unique Dynamic Lean® tilt feature provides comfortable back and lumbar support. Under load, the backrest flows seamlessly to follow body movements, allowing the occupant to change sitting posture smoothly.
Savo’s chairs stand out by providing the best support and strain relief in a simple, intuitive way. Savo Invite is no exception. With only a single control for height adjustment, Savo Invite is a user-friendly meeting chair that helps you sit properly right away. The unique Dynamic Lean® tilt feature provides comfortable support in the lower back and lumbar regions to prevent strain, with no need for any adjustments. When you lean back and straighten out, the backrest tilts seamlessly, providing intuitive support while also encouraging movement and variation in working positions.
The seat back follows the body’s movements smoothly along a natural trajectory. The simplicity and responsiveness of the seat back make Savo Invite the ultimate meeting chair for everyone. Savo Invite is ideal for meeting rooms, activity-based offices and other movable workspaces, as it is also well suited for short periods of work.
The Corona pandemic acted as a catalyst for trends we saw emerging even before the pandemic came along and kick-started the new workplace. Based on the insights we have today and the knowledge that the world, technology and our needs can change quickly, it’s time to take a look at how the office will appear a little way ahead and see what roles ergonomics and health will play in it.
While working from home during the corona pandemic, many people soon became aware of the importance of ergonomics through the very lack of it. According to the Institute for Employment Studies in the UK, one third of respondents experienced aches, pains and discomfort in their necks or backs at the beginning of the pandemic while working from home. Health was not just affected by the way people sat while working. A study from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at Tokyo University compared physical activity and sitting still among people working in an office with those working from home. The study showed that people working from home did so for longer periods, standing up less often and doing less physical work than those who were at their workplace. Because they had no need to travel to work e.g. by cycling or walking between meetings during working hours, they engaged in less physical activity. With this in mind, perhaps exercise bikes and treadmills will be just as self-evident and important as future tools in the home office as ergonomic office chairs and desks.
A study from the University of Southern California showed that working from home also affected mental health. People who lived alone and worked full-time from home felt that the lack of physical interaction with people gave rise to social isolation and depression. Fuzzy work/life boundaries could also make it difficult to disengage mentally from work, increasing symptoms of stress and anxiety. Andrew Lynch, COO at Huckletree, described the problem some employees experience as ‘living at work’ rather than working from home. In the future, where work actually takes place will depend on the prevailing need – sometimes it will be better to work from home, and sometimes at the office. This is where the office plays an important role as a culture carrier and venue for productive meetings, conversations, problem solving and brainstorming, while individual tasks can be done elsewhere. This will place greater demands on chairs that can be adapted to suit the workplace and the home office. Some people will want chairs designed for both the office and the home office, while others will understand that different chairs meet different needs depending on their setting and the jobs they have to do.
According to the PWC report entitled Workforce of the future – the competing forces shaping 2030, 73 percent of us believe that technology can never replace the human brain. A focus on the human aspect will create tomorrow’s dynamic workplace where an increasingly important work environment will be even better than it was before. Today’s emphasis is largely on the individual and soft values such as identity, development, inclusion and experiences. And this has a bearing on the way offices should be designed. As our working lives become more flexible, so too must the physical work environment. Ergonomics plays an important part in making sure a chair will suit many individuals and be just as comfortable at home as in the office. Portable, ergonomic furniture in touch-down areas and places for focused work will be taken to the next level, and also taken for granted. Mobility and adaptability will be at the heart, and not only reflected in furnishings in general, but also in the workplace chair itself. Because we do a better job when we feel good physically and mentally, ergonomics and human-centred design will optimize the balance between employee strengths and limitations. A study from the McKinsey Global Institute shows that employees suffer less stress and take less sick leave in companies that invest in employee health.
Thus the physical and mental health of employees will continue to be important. In the future, things will probably centre more on finding ways to maintain well-being and prevent injuries and stress rather than treating illnesses and symptoms caused by poor working conditions. Biosensor technology could be used to detect and monitor mood and energy levels, e.g. to identify the level of motivation or stress. According to Ericsson’s The Dematerialized Office, 66 percent of respondents believe that digital methods for sensing when a colleague is nervous or upset will probably be in use in the workplace by 2030. Body sensors can also monitor activity levels to encourage more movement during the day to improve mental and physical health. Imagine an office chair whose sensors can measure how long you’ve been sitting, how many hours you slept, and what your heart rate and blood pressure are. Your chair then reminds you when to take a walk, a rest or a snack. All this is possible in potential products for tomorrow’s office!
The smart office features we take for granted today, such as smart phones, tablets, wireless speakers, voice control and motion sensors that switch on the lights when we enter the room, will evolve. But how will AI affect design itself and the way we experience the office? AI-driven interfaces provide more space since digital displays need no longer be mounted on walls, stands or even remain on top of the desk. When we’re able to display information in 3D in thin air, there will be less need for multiple monitors and computers. Today, we interact with technology mainly through eyesight and hearing. The World Economic Forum and the Penketh Group are in no doubt that AI will continue to change working life by transforming workplaces into multi-sensory environments that will revolutionize the employee experience.
According to predictions, the next digital revolution will be based on digital experiences that interact with us through the ‘internet of senses’ (IoS). This will be made possible by artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), 5G and automation. According to Ericsson ConsumerLab: Ten Hot Consumer Trends 2030, to which 46 million early tech adopters responded, consumers predict that screen-based experiences in 2030 will be competing with multi-sensory experiences that are difficult to distinguish from reality. According to Ericsson Research, half of the world’s smart phone users believe everyone will wear AR glasses by 2025. As consumers step further into the digitized sensory world, augmented reality will enable laptops to translate language directly, control the sound environment and enable us to experience smell, taste, textures and even feel temperatures digitally! When we are able to understand what a meeting participant is saying in real time even though we don’t speak the same language, and know what it feels like to be in a participant’s meeting room, our perception of tomorrow’s digital meetings will change.
Body and mind benefit from our not sitting still for too long. Balancing and varying our sitting position helps to improve posture, hone concentration and keep us alert throughout the working day. Savo Joi is perhaps the simplest and most comfortable balance stool for stimulating active sitting.
Savo Joi is designed to provide relief and exercise for your body at the same time. Because no adjustments are necessary, it’s a flexible stool that suits many people.
Savo Joi’s joystick base allows the stool to move through 360 degrees, so it feels a bit like sitting and balancing on a Pilates ball. The joystick base provides stability while activating trunk and back muscles and improving posture. Thus movements involved in finding a balance feel perfectly natural when sitting on Savo Joi. You sit correctly in dynamic balance and you can tilt the stool up to 17 degrees in any direction, keeping your body active. This keeps your back straight while stimulating muscles and circulation, providing fresh oxygen. By placing your feet on the lower part of the stool, you keep your balance in the same way as you do when cycling. The flexible baseplate encourages movements that strengthen your body. Balancing our sitting position can help hone concentration and keep us alert throughout the working day.
Active sitting helps reduce the risk of aches and pains during sedentary work, as the user is encouraged to keep active when sitting. This improves posture, strengthens core musculature and distributes stresses evenly throughout the body. The core muscles around the abdomen, hips and lower back connect the upper and lower body. A strong core is essential for posture and the muscles we need in workaday life and leisure.
Savo Joi’s joystick base stimulates active sitting through your sense of balance, and allows freedom of movement through 360 degrees.
The rocking chair is perhaps the oldest means for active sitting, but today there are more ways to keep active while seated. Balance pads, saddle seats, ball seats and balance stools are examples of seats we can use to vary our working position and sit more actively.
Balance stools are often used for ad hoc seating that is not in use all day long, and they are an excellent choice for smaller meeting rooms and standing desks. Balance stools are also excellent when you want to switch between sitting and standing at a variable height desk.
Cognitive ergonomics focuses on how well the use of a product matches the cognitive abilities of its users. It is based on knowledge of perception, mental processing and memory. On average, we sit for 8 hours and 40 minutes every day, and our brains receive 11 million sensory inputs every second. We think 50,000 thoughts a day, so who can be bothered to worry about how to properly adjust a chair? Savo’s chairs promote both good physical and cognitive ergonomics as they support the body and match our cognitive capacity. They are unambiguous, user-friendly and easily and quickly understood. At Savo, we call this intuitive design.
A good work chair is an important part of an office’s overall ergonomics. Not only must chairs be suitable for many individuals if everyone is to sit comfortably at work, but there must also be chairs to suit different activities and needs. Safety, comfort and control are at least as important as performance, variety and a sense of community for motivation and job satisfaction. Savo’s chairs meet the needs of the vast majority of employees and provide seating that allows them to focus on their work, not on the chair.
The brain accounts for no less than 20 percent of a person’s total energy consumption. When the pace of work is high, stress taxes the body as well as the brain if your posture is poor for too long.
Savo Soul is a work chair that can handle many hours of intense concentration in front of a monitor. The chair follows the body’s movements, keeps your back upright and provides support in every position. The seat reduces pressure on the thighs and improves circulation. Logically placed controls allow everyone to sit well all day long.
Savo S3 takes the strain, providing proper support for comfortable sitting throughout the working day. With its optional head rest, S3 is the closest thing to a gaming chair you can get at the office.
Savo Maxikon lets you work all day long safe in the knowledge that your body will enjoy the support it needs.
On average, a person can concentrate fully on something for 90 to 120 minutes, but probably for less depending on the environment and the task. Besides breaks at work, we need to vary our tasks and surroundings in order to develop and thrive, so switching places and seats during the day is good for your concentration, mood and body.
Savo 360’s back has natural ‘give’ that allows movement, making it an ideal seat for working half a day. The seat also has a tilt function enabling the occupant not only to lean back, but more importantly and uniquely, forward.
Balance is the key to a stress-free working day, and it’s also at the heart of Savo Joi, a balance stool with a joystick function that encourages an upright sitting posture, thus strengthening trunk musculature. Ideal for shorter periods of work, it makes it easy to switch between sitting and standing.
Even though today’s and tomorrow’s meetings can take place anywhere, people will continue to meet face-to-face when necessary. Meetings fulfil our need for a sense of community. They allow us to be creative, solve problems together and develop by bouncing ideas off each other. But during longer meetings, most of us tend to begin fidgeting as the body prefers to be in motion.
Savo Soul Conference is a work chair and meeting chair in one. Its flexi-back allows the occupant to twist left or right, and the seat back follows automatically.
Savo Invite has a Dynamic Lean function that allows the seat back to follow the occupant’s posture and pressure automatically without any adjustment required. This allows the occupant to shift position smoothly and comfortably back and forth to stay active while seated, which is especially welcome if a meeting drags on.
The aim was always to make sure our products would stand the test of time, and that only worn parts would need replacement, not the entire product. In fact, around 85 percent of the climate emissions generated by the furniture industry come from the products themselves. And now that we’re transitioning to a circular economy, it’s become very clear that we must extend the lifespan, value and utility of products if we are to keep production within the limits of the planet’s resources. Thus sustainable, innovative product development is another area where Savo can do the most good for the climate.
As part of our overall sustainability efforts, we use 68 percent recycled and renewable materials in Savo 360. The chair is 26 percent wood, which is an unusually large amount for an office chair. The wood is FSC® certified*, meaning it comes from responsibly managed forests. Only 5 percent of the chair is plastic where the parts are tool based, which reduces waste to only 2 percent in production! The chair’s layer-by-layer design means that all parts are removable and reparable, which allows the chair to be updated over time or for the materials to be recycled.
*FSC license number FSC-C009111
Savo Soul in black is one of our best-selling chairs, so it was a no-brainer for us to make a sustainable upgrade of that very product. Today, Savo Soul in black consists of 48 percent recycled plastics, aluminium and steel*. The switch from virgin plastic to recycled reduces the product’s total carbon footprint by no less than 43 percent. Given annual sales comparable to the earlier variant, chairs with the same proportion of plastic will now provide a total annual CO₂ reduction of 660 tonnes. This is equivalent to 100 car trips around the world, every year!
*Calculation based on Savo Soul with plastic swivel base and mesh back, without armrests or headrest.
Savo 360 challenges our idea of what a flexible office chair should look like, with wooden details that make it unique. At Savo we always put quality before quantity, and constantly work to improve the seating experience. We aren’t happy until user-friendliness and design are in perfect harmony. Something that’s particularly noticeable in Savo 360!
The background to Savo 360 was to produce a sustainable office chair completely made of wood – including the star base and armrest, with every part replaceable. But a star base is heavy, and the J-bar and back components are the most appropriate for taking advantage of the ‘give’ and aesthetics of wood. The result is a hybrid between an office chair and a wooden chair, with an unconventional design that’s sustainable from a circular perspective. The original idea of replaceable parts has been integrated into the product, as every part is separable, which means you can change the chair over time. This is an intelligent and intuitive chair where the ergonomics are built in through the flexibility of the wood, which provides immediate comfort. The oak or ash parts also create a living and natural impression that makes the chair stand out and have an impact on its surroundings. With the option to choose the colour of both the wooden parts and upholstery, Savo 360 is easy to adapt to every environment.
Savo 360 stands for high flexibility during the working day and is designed to promote movement. It’s also available with a writing pad that can be rotated 360 degrees, both around the chair and its own axis. As one stage in Savo’s overall sustainability process, we use recyclable materials in production. Savo 360 has a long lifetime because the chair can be updated instead of replaced when it becomes worn. The minimalism and few but intelligent functions make it comfortable and user-friendly for both a desk-based workplace and in the meeting room.
Savo 360 is exactly what you’d want it to be an office chair, meeting chair, a chair for the reception area or a seat for a co-working space. It’s an item of furniture that’s very easy to position in different environments and which grows with the room by giving the environment that little extra.
The secret is this chair’s flexibility – both in use and in terms of its appearance. Integrated parts in natural wood immediately give life to the environment. With patterned upholstery, it becomes a self-confident chair, while a more sober fabric choice makes it an ever-changing chameleon.
Don’t just go with the flow – be the flow
The key feature of this chair is that it’s flexible enough for different types of area and task, with a design that benefits both imagination and work flow. Savo 360 offers a minimal number of settings, which makes it easy to adjust if you change workplace during the day. Just like seats for working, meeting rooms set high demands for chair flexibility and ergonomics. Savo 360 boosts both the larger conference room and the smaller, informal meeting room with its inviting design and ergonomic sitting experience. In Savo 360, you can move freely, change position, swivel around and roll wherever you want instead of having to reach. Regardless of whether the space you’re working in is the boardroom or a desk, you’ll be sitting comfortably. Spontaneous meetings needn’t always be held in a separate room. Simply roll the chair where you need it to hold a quick meeting or take a coffee break to recharge your batteries. In the tall variant, Savo 360 is also perfect for a standing desk in the lobby or lounge.
The aim with Savo 360 was to create a simple, attractive chair with a unique design that could work as a crossover between different use areas. Savo 360 exploits corners, spaces between rooms and other areas effectively and has been developed with both the office and home office in mind. Its convenience, practical size and high levels of ergonomics make it ideal for use in a domestic environment. The option to style the chair’s upholstery means it can blend seamlessly into the majority of homes. The wooden parts make the design appealing and softer than a classic office chair used in the home.
Savo 360 has been designed by Olle Lundberg and is an intelligent and intuitive chair with a Scandinavian design with a focus on details that improve function and aesthetics.
The design, with parts in visible wood, promotes experimentation with colours to give the chair exactly the right impression. The back and J bar are available in oak and in white and black pigmented ash, but are also available in any NCS colour you choose. The coloured wooden parts mean that the chair can easily be matched with the upholstery or environment it’s placed in. Savo 360 comes in normal and tall variants, with an optional writing pad for the normal variant.
The rounded forms of the chair mean that it blends perfectly into different environments without taking up too much visual space. The generous seat can be combined either with a fully upholstered back or upholstered front. The design choices give two different impressions, and you can also choose a zip or fabric in contrasting colours. The rounded forms of the seat are mirrored in the tall variant’s foot ring, and the swivel writing pad that’s available for the low variant. Savo 360 is a chair you’ll want to keep, because the wooden material and classic forms have a long lifetime. Wood creates natural life and develops a patina over the years, giving the chair even more character. The chair can be upgraded over time because all parts are replaceable and repairable.
Savo’s guiding principle is intuitive design – we focus more on sitting as a position than on the chair as a product. It should be easy to sit, and to adjust your sitting position if you need to. Your body is flexible, and so is Savo 360. It’s a chair that promotes movement, and the writing pad can be rotated 360 degrees, both around the chair and its own axis. The chair is height adjustable for optimal support, regardless of the height of the person sitting in it. The backrest control is knurled for better grip and is available in natural anodised or black anodised aluminium.
