Double award win for Bodyfurn® Flex across Australia and New Zealand.

Award Winning | Our Bodyfurn® Flex range has been recognised with two prestigious honours – a 2025 Australian Good Design Award in the Product Design category and a Gold Award at the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards.

For over two decades, the original Bodyfurn® chair has been a classroom favourite across the world, setting a benchmark for ergonomic design in education. Bodyfurn® Flex takes that legacy forward, reimagining what’s possible for today’s flexible learning environments.

Both Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards and Good Design Awards Australia are respected award programs which celebrate innovation and excellence in design that makes a positive impact on people, communities and the planet.

Raising the bar for classroom seating


Developed in New Zealand by Furnware’s Design & Engineering team, Bodyfurn® Flex is a dynamic, ergonomic seating solution for senior students and adults. Shaped through a user-centred design process involving students, teachers and health experts, it was validated through body pressure-mapping, classroom trials, and independent testing to AS/NZS standards.
With a fully dynamic seat and backrest, Bodyfurn® Flex supports natural movement and focus, while its pressure-mapped contours, lightweight form, and safe stacking design make it ideal for modern learning environments.

Made from over 90 percent recycled plastic and tested to the highest durability standards, Bodyfurn® Flex embodies our commitment to sustainability, comfort and long-term performance.

“Bodyfurn® Flex is the next chapter in our story - built from research, made with recycled materials, and designed for lasting impact in schools. To have it recognised at an international level is something we’re incredibly proud of.”

Hamish Whyte, Furnware CEO and Owner

What the Judges Said


“The Bodyfurn® Flex range is a dynamic, ergonomic seating solution that supports natural movement and improved focus for senior students and adults. Bodyfurn Flex is a well engineered product with a strong focus on function and user needs, demonstrating thoughtful innovation in its field.

 A committed seating collection with a specific target market where price point, versatility, repairability, ergonomics and environmental impact are key. Designed for mass production, the collection thoroughly addresses all key challenges. An inspiring project that raises the bar for good design and impact in this category.” – Good Design Awards Australia
 

“Deep research underpins this evolution of an icon. The judges highlighted its amazing comfort, dynamic functionality, and the thoughtful development of movement. A design that honours its legacy while advancing performance.”

Judges, Best Design Awards New Zealand

The judge’s recognition reflects the same goals that guided our own design journey.

“We set out to design a chair that responded to real classroom challenges – comfort, posture, fatigue and sustainability. Listening to students and teachers, and validating with science, helped us create a solution that truly works.”
Rob Burnham, Furnware Group Design & Engineering Manager.

Awards at this level is recognition of holistic product design delivering furniture that helps students thrive, and we’re excited to see Bodyfurn® Flex making a difference in classrooms across the world.

The people that make it happen


Like any well-designed product, success stems from a deep understanding of holistic requirements and inputs that guide decisionmaking throughout the process.

Achieving this relies on a capable, collaborative team - one that brings together creative thinking, scientific insight, and commercial acumen. 

At Furnware, we’re fortunate to have such a well-rounded group. Their ability to communicate, contribute, and adapt was key to navigating the project’s challenges. In doing so, the team not only delivered a successful outcome but also grew their individual capabilities, ready to take on the next challenge with even greater strength.