NaughtOne redesigns Pippin lounge chair with 55% cut in embodied carbon

NaughtOne has made a redesigned version of its Pippin lounge chair the standard model, with a new base, castor system and carbon-reduced foam that the company says cut the chair's embodied carbon by 55%.

The MillerKnoll-owned manufacturer, whose registered office is in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, announced the change on 10 November. The chair, designed by Lucy Kurrein, was previewed at Clerkenwell Design Week and Fulton Market Design Days before becoming the standard version.

NaughtOne said the lower-carbon foams use bio-based materials in place of conventional polyurethane, which depends on fossil fuel-based raw materials. The company's footnote adds that one component still uses conventional polyurethane.

Bethany Willan, NaughtOne Head of Sustainability and Communities, said: "It shows how thoughtful design changes can build on what already works to create an even more sustainable product."

The carbon figures

The 55% reduction is measured against the previous Pippin, which dates from 2023, and covers life cycle assessment modules A1 to A3 including biogenic carbon. Excluding biogenic carbon, the reduction is 28%, according to the company's footnote. The figures were modelled in GaBi using the UK bill of materials.

NaughtOne's product page gives the chair's A1 to A3 footprint, including biogenic carbon, as 33.48 kg CO2e. The page attributes the lower figure to bio-based foam and a lighter base.

The release said the chair is 4.5 kg lighter than before, or 5 kg lighter in the glide version, as a result of the redesigned base.

The castor system

The new castors retract when someone sits in the chair, letting it settle onto its outer pads for stability, and glide freely when the chair is empty. A glide version without castors remains available.

Paul Salem, NaughtOne's Director of Design & Engineering, said: "Pippin quickly became one of our most successful products, and by most measures we could have left it alone."

He said the company could not find castors it liked, so designed its own, which allowed it to rethink the whole base.

The castor wheels snap in and out with a screwdriver, so they can be replaced without taking the base apart. NaughtOne said the original chair was designed to come apart like a 3D puzzle for repair and recycling, and that the construction supports its Global Take-Back Programme so parts can be reprocessed at end of life.

Background

NaughtOne launched the original Pippin in June 2023, with orders opening on 3 July that year. The 2023 release described a chair on wheels, deliberately designed without arms, with construction free of glue and staples.

In April 2025 the company announced that Pippin had won a 2025 Green Good Design Award, which NaughtOne said celebrates design that moves the world toward a more sustainable future.

The product page says Pippin is tested to ANSI/BIFMA X5.4 (2020) and BS EN 16139:2013 Level 2.

The release linked the redesign to MillerKnoll's aim of using 100% bio-based or recycled materials by 2050. MillerKnoll's own sustainability goals page states the same materials aim without a date, and says the group is working to cut the carbon footprint of its top products by at least 25% by FY2030 and has committed to net-zero carbon emissions.

Naught One Ltd, company number 05285557, is registered at Central House, Beckwith Knowle, Harrogate, with a registered activity of the manufacture of other furniture. The company said it employs nearly 100 people across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the USA.

Pippin is available to order globally through MillerKnoll dealers.