The Eames Plastic Side Chair RE on Traverse brings one of the most famous designs of the 20th century into the present – reinterpreted for modern spaces and requirements. The iconic seat shell – now made from recycled plastic (RE) – combines sustainable thinking with the timeless comfort for which Charles & Ray Eames are known. Combined with the elegant crossbar base, the chair becomes the ideal solution for waiting areas, reception areas, educational institutions, or sophisticated public spaces.

The story of the Eames Plastic Chair

One of the Eames Plastic Chairs, the DAW chair, was first presented in 1948 at the Museum of Modern Art in New York's "Low Cost Furniture Design" competition, where it won second place. Today, the Plastic Chairs have become classics, indispensable in private homes and public spaces. Yet, at the time of their creation, these design chairs were a true innovation. The novelty lay in the idea of a one-piece, ergonomically shaped seat shell. "The most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least" – Charles & Ray Eames absolutely lived up to this principle with their Plastic Chairs. This resulted in the first mass-produced, affordable plastic chairs with outstanding design. With the Plastic Chairs, Charles & Ray Eames revolutionized furniture history in the 1950s. European and American society was undergoing a period of upheaval after the war years. This also had an impact on interior design and lifestyles. With the DAW and the other Plastic Chairs, Charles & Ray Eames contributed to liberating living spaces from the prevailing rigidity and control.

Charles and Ray Eames – Design Duo

If you love design, you should know the Eameses. Many people immediately think of their most famous designs, the Eames Lounge Chair or the Eames Plastic Chair. The Eameses couple are among the most important figures in 20th-century design. In addition to designing furniture, they also made films, took photographs, and curated exhibitions.

Material and Format

Starting in January 2024, Vitra is focusing on sustainability by manufacturing all Eames Plastic Chair shells from recycled post-consumer plastic. The shells are reinforced with minimal fiberglass for stability and quality, with the fiberglass content being 10% in an Eames Plastic Chair RE shell. The use of recycled packaging waste gives the shells minimal color pigmentation. The Virgin Plastic white color will be available until the end of 2024. The new Cotton White in the RE version is a natural white with the aforementioned pigmentation due to the manufacturing process.

Cover material:

Hopsak: 100% polyamide

Need more information? Request PDF