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Eames Plastic Armchair RE LAR

Charles & Ray Eames, 1950

The Plastic Chairs RE by Charles and Ray Eames are among the most important designs in the history of furniture. Following their initial presentation at the 'Low Cost Furniture Design' competition organised by the Museum of Modern Art in 1948, the chairs were launched on the market in 1950 in an armchair version (A-shell) and as a simpler side chair (S-shell) – making them the first ever mass-produced chairs made of plastic.

With the debut of their Plastic Chairs, Charles and Ray Eames introduced a new furniture typology that has since spread around the globe: the multifunctional chair whose shell can be joined with a variety of different bases. Already in 1950, they presented a series of bases that enabled various sitting positions, including the low-slung LAR (Lounge Height Armchair Rod Base).

The LAR seems to have been one of Charles and Ray's favourite designs: vintage photographs show it in numerous locations throughout the legendary Eames House in Pacific Palisades – both indoors and out. This also reveals how lightweight the chair is, and how easily it can be moved around.

Thanks to its compact dimensions, the Plastic Chair RE LAR can also be used in smaller interiors, and the wide choice of colours for the shell, today manufactured by Vitra in post-consumer recycled plastic, as well as for the upholstery fabric and base ensure that the chair is suited to diverse interior styles and settings. The steel wire base, which achieves maximum stability with minimum materials, acquired a charming nickname within just a short time on the market as a result of its unusual form: 'Cat's Cradle' – in reference to the children's string game.

Due to the organic shape of this classic armchair, the LAR is a striking solo piece, but it can also be paired with many types of sofas to create an appealing contrast. Especially in the version with full upholstery, the LAR offers long-lasting comfort, making this modestly sized armchair an excellent seating option for any living space.

Now in recycled post-consumer plastic

From January 2024 the shells of the Eames Plastic Chairs from Vitra are now made of recycled post-consumer plastic. These chairs are known as Eames Plastic Chairs RE. The recycling material stems from Germany's 'Yellow Bag' (Gelber Sack) collection of household waste, which primarily consists of used packaging. Utilising this recyclate instead of conventional plastic generates fewer climate-damaging emissions and significantly reduces energy consumption.

Due to the composition of the recycled materials, the different colour versions of the seat shells are interspersed with tiny specks of pigment. Three colour variants have also been updated in connection with this changeover:

  • Emerald RE replaces green
  • Citron RE replaces sunlight
  • Cotton white RE replaces white

Alongside the new variant 'cotton white (RE)', the existing version 'white' is scheduled to remain available until December 2024.
emerald RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
citron RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
cotton white RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
pebble RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
pale rose RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
rusty orange RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
poppy red RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
mustard RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
forest RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
sea blue RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
ice grey RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
light grey RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
granite grey RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material
deep black RE
Left: old; Right: new RE material

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Product family

Eames Plastic Chairs RE

'Getting the most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least': with these words, Charles and Ray Eames described one of their main goals as furniture designers. None of their other designs come as close to achieving this ideal as the Plastic Chairs. For years, the designer couple explored the fundamental idea of a one-piece seat shell moulded to fit the contours of the human body. After experiments with plywood and sheet aluminium in the 1940s produced unsatisfactory results, their search for alternative materials led them to glass-fibre reinforced polyester resin. The Eameses recognised and fully exploited the advantages of the material: mouldability, rigidity, pleasant tactile qualities, suitability for industrial manufacturing methods. With this material, which was previously unknown in the furniture industry, they successfully developed the shell designs for serial production. After their debut at the 'Low-Cost Furniture Design' competition organised by the Museum of Modern Art in 1948, the Plastic Armchair (A-shell) and Plastic Side Chair (S-shell) were launched on the market in 1950 as the very first mass-produced plastic chairs in the history of furniture. The Eames Plastic Chairs also introduced a new furniture typology that has since become widespread: the multifunctional chair whose shell can be joined with a variety of different bases to serve diverse purposes. As early as 1950, Charles and Ray Eames presented a series of bases that enabled various sitting positions. Over the years and in ongoing consultation with the Eames family, Vitra has introduced more sustainable materials for the seat shells of the Eames Shell Chairs. As of 2024 the shells of the Eames Plastic Chairs are now made of recycled plastic and the chair family is known as Eames Plastic Chair RE. The high-quality recycled material stems from household recycling, particularly used packaging, obtained through the 'Yellow Bag' (Gelber Sack) collection programme in Germany. Utilising this raw material instead of petroleum-based primary plastics generates fewer climate-damaging emissions, with a significant reduction in primary energy consumption. Due to the composition of the recycled material, the different colours are interspersed with tiny specks of pigment. The colour white has been replaced by cotton white RE, however the original white polypropylene version is scheduled to remain available until December 2024. Like the seat shells of Eames Plastic RE, it is 100% recyclable at the end of its product life.

This product was designed by

Charles & Ray Eames

Charles and Ray Eames are counted among the most important figures of twentieth-century design. Their work spans the fields of furniture design, filmmaking, photography and exhibition design. Vitra is the sole authorised manufacturer of Eames products for Europe and the Middle East. When you own an Eames product made by Vitra, you know it is an original.