Freedom executive chair by Humanscale with neck rest in leather

The same mechanism for every rank: Freedom by Humanscale

Humanscale

Niels Diffrient

Executive chair
Freedom Most chosen configuration Executive chair
£ 3,707

From our design team in Italy — within 24 hours

Trade terms for professionals and design studios

Office seating has a quiet caste system: the higher the job title, the better the mechanism. Freedom by Humanscale, designed by Niels Diffrient in 1999, was built against that habit. The task version and the executive version with neck rest carry the identical technology: a concealed central mechanism that reads the sitter's body weight and sets the recline accordingly, with no manual controls to learn. What separates the intern's chair from the director's is a neck rest — not the engineering underneath.

The rest of the specification follows: back reclining to 20 degrees while keeping permanent contact with the lumbar and dorsal spine, a 7-degree self-adjusting seat, and synchronised armrests raised or lowered with one hand. Upholstery runs from four-way stretch textiles to stitched-edge leathers; frames come in graphite or polished aluminium; certification is GREENGUARD Gold for indoor air quality.

La Mercanti supplies Freedom across the UK and worldwide and configures the order desk by desk — versions, upholstery, cylinders and castors checked against the floor plan before anything is confirmed.

Technical information based on data declared by the manufacturer.

Collection: Freedom, ergonomic office seating — task and executive versions
Manufacturer: Humanscale
Design: Niels Diffrient, 1999 — one of his first works for Humanscale
Mechanism: concealed central device calibrated by the sitter's body weight (45–136 kg / 100–300 lbs) — no manual recline controls
Recline: backrest 20° with permanent lumbar and dorsal contact · automatic 7° seat tilt
Versions: Freedom task · Freedom executive with neck rest — same technology; documented uses: task stations, managerial and executive offices, boardrooms (Rohde & Schwarz case study)
Neck rest (executive version): dynamic, height-adjustable 127 mm (5 in), positions perpendicular to the nape during recline
Armrests: synchronised, one-hand height adjustment, 145 mm (5.85 in) travel, integrated in the backrest frame, 483 mm (19 in) apart · optional technogel inserts
Seat height: low, standard or high cylinder with foot ring — statures 152–193 cm (5'0"–6'4")
Dimensions: W 679 mm (26.75 in) · D 442–504 mm (17.4–19.85 in) · H 932–1054 mm (36.7–41.5 in); with neck rest H 1224–1346 mm (48.2–53 in) · weight 13.6–17.2 kg (30–38 lbs)
Upholstery: four-way stretch textiles · non-stretch textiles · antimicrobial eco-leathers · leathers with stitched edges · contoured cushions, optional technogel
Frame and base finishes: graphite or polished aluminium
Castors: hard for soft floors (standard) · soft for hard floors · glides · CAL133 option · rear handle for moving the chair
Certifications: GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality · GREENGUARD Gold
Warranty (manufacturer, current terms): 15 years on the seating · 5 years on fabric, cushions, arm pads, castors and wood — original customer, non-transferable
Assembly: tool-free, base plus upper assembly — sitting in the chair completes the fitting · Parts & Repair Manual with individual component codes

La Mercanti Srl — trusted supplier for design and contract projects since 1997.
San Benedetto del Tronto (AP), Italy · +39 0735 753833 · info@lamercanti.com
Supply, quotations, specifications and project support across the UK and worldwide.

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FAQ

Which versions does the Freedom range include?
Two: the task version and the executive version with neck rest — mechanically identical. The Rohde & Schwarz case study documents both executive and boardroom use of the neck rest version.
What warranty does the manufacturer declare?
Humanscale currently declares 15 years on the seating and 5 years on fabric, cushions, arm pads, castors and wood parts. The warranty applies to the original customer and is non-transferable.
What is technogel and where is it used?
An optional gel insert for seat cushions and armrest tops, offered to optimise weight distribution across the contact surfaces. It is listed among the official options of the collection.
Can castors be matched to the floor?
Yes: hard castors for soft floors such as carpet come as standard, soft castors suit wood or stone, and glides replace wheels entirely where the chair should not roll.
Who was Niels Diffrient?
An American designer and a pioneer of ergonomic office seating; Freedom, from 1999, is one of his first works for Humanscale. His story belongs to the designer page — the chair speaks for itself here.

How to match Freedom to the desk it will serve

Five checks that pair the chair with the worktop before the order is placed.

Measure the desk clearance
Check the underside height of the worktop: the Freedom armrests sit 483 mm apart and must pass under the top when the chair is drawn in.
Pick the cylinder for the sitter
Low, standard or high with foot ring: the seat height regulator is chosen per desk, covering statures from 152 to 193 cm.
Decide the castors by floor
Carpet keeps the standard hard castors; wood and stone ask for soft ones; glides suit meeting positions that should stay put.
Match the finish to the room
Graphite frames disappear into darker interiors; polished aluminium answers lighter, more formal offices.
Confirm the pairing on the plan
List each desk with its Freedom version, upholstery and cylinder, and have La Mercanti cross-check the schedule before sign-off.

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