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Vitra

Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW

by Charles & Ray Eames, 1950 — from 625,00 €
Vitra Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW

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Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW

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625,00 € *
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Charles and Ray Eames designed the DAW armchair in 1950 as part of a plastic chair collection. Produced by Vitra the Eames plastic chairs are the first serially produced plastic chairs in furniture history and are today available with various seats and frames, making them both multi-functional and multi-purpose. Since 2024 Vitra has manufactured the Eames Plastic Chair seat shells from resource-saving recycled material.

Details

Product type Multi-purpose chair
Dimensions

Without upholstery / with seat upholstery / with full upholstery



Dimensions in mm
Colours Seat shell, new colours 2024
17 Emerald RE
92 Citron RE
85 Cotton white RE

Seat shell
12 Deep black RE
56 Granite grey RE
48 Forest RE
34 Mustard RE
43 Rusty orange RE
03 Poppy red RE
41 Pale rose RE
11 Pebble RE
24 Light grey RE
23 Ice grey RE
04 White

Seat cushion / full upholstery, Hopsak
66 Nero
05 Dark grey
77 Nero / forest
73 Petrol / moor brown
22 Navy blue / dark grey
82 Ice blue / moor brown
23 Nero / ivory
80 Warmgrey / moor brown
88 Cognac / ivory
65 Coral / poppyred
19 Mustard / dark grey
18 Mustard / ivory
16 Yellow / ivory
87 Ivory / forest
86 Mint / forest
20 Green / ivory
81 Ice blue / ivory
79 Warmgrey / ivory

(Further Hopsak colours available on request)
Base
Black maple
Dark maple
Yellow maple
Ash honey coloured

Please note that wood is a natural material. Every base is unique and due to the influence of UV-radiation the colour pigments in the wood change during use.
Material Legs: Maple or Ash
Base supports: Round steel, basic dark
Upholstery: Hopsak (100% polyamide)
Seat shell: dyed-through polypropylene (white) or dyed-through RE plastic (all other colours)

Please note:
The RE plastic employed for the Eames Plastic Chair seat shells is composed of granules of recycled plastics from the German "Yellow Sack" packaging recycling system and approx. 10% fibreglass material to achieve the necessary rigidity. The familiar colours of the seat shells do not change as a result of this material change. However, with the lighter seat shell colours tiny pigments of differently coloured granules may be visible upon closer inspection. These pigments do not represent a defect, but are a feature of the new sustainable material. Below is a comparative example of the colour "ice grey" in high magnification - the new material is on the right.
Variants Optionally available with seat upholstery or full upholstery, edge reinforcement (piping) see picture.
Available with glides for carpets or felt pads for hard floors
(Please note: All bases are equipped with black glides/pads. White glides/pads can be ordered separately.)
Functions & Properties Not stackable
Care For cleaning the plastic elements always use a soft, damp cloth and a mild detergent.

Dust and fluff can be vacuumed, marks are best treated with a soft, damp cloth and a mild detergent.

Professional cleaning should be undertaken with the chair fully assembled and using upholstery foam or with a professional cleaning machine.
Awards & Museums Permanent collection, MoMA, New York
Cerificates EN 13761 (Office furniture - Visitor chairs)
EN 1728 (Furniture - Seating - Test methods for the determination of strength and durability)
Sustainability The Vitra Eames Plastic Armchair is:
100% recyclable
contains up to 14% recycled material

Vitra conform to
ISO 9001: 2008 (Quality management systems)
ISO 14001: 2004 (Environmental management systems)

Since the beginning of the production year 2024 the Eames Plastic Chair seat shells have been been manufactured from a recycled material, the so-called RE plastic. RE plastic material consists of granules of recycled plastics from the German “Yellow Sack” packaging recycling system. This new material is not only recycled but 100% recyclable, In addition its production generates significantly lower climate-damaging emissions and requires less energy.

Since June 1st 2019 Vitra has been operated a take-back program: Eames Fibreglass Chairs and Eames Plastic Chairs that are no longer required can be returned to Vitra.
Warranty 24 months

Register product and secure extended manufacturer's warranty of 10 years
Accessories Suitable Seat Pad for Eames Armchairs and Leather Seat Pad by Parkhaus Berlin or Seat Dots and Soft Seats (Typ A) by Vitra
Product family Eames Plastic Chairs


Product datasheet Please click on the picture for detailed information (ca. 5,4 MB).

Product presentation

Popular versions

Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, White, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, White, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Ash honey tone
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, White, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Dark maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, White, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Black maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Mustard, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Red (poppy red), Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Mustard, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Black maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Rusty orange, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Black maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Pebble, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Pale rose, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Ash honey tone
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Pale rose, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Granite grey, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Green, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Dark maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Pale rose, With seat upholstery, Warm grey / ivory, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Sunlight, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Dark maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Deep black, With full upholstery, Nero, Standard version - 43 cm, Black maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, White, With seat upholstery, Ice blue / ivory, Standard version - 43 cm, Dark maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Sea blue, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Black maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Cotton white, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Yellowish maple
Eames Plastic Armchair RE DAW, Granite grey, Without upholstery, Without upholstery, Standard version - 43 cm, Black maple

FAQ

?
Should the answers to your questions not be found here, our service team can be contacted Mon-Fri, 9 am - 5 pm via +49 341 2222 88 22.

What does DAW mean?

DAW means Dining Height Armchair Wooden Base.

How much weight can the Eames DAW Plastic Chairs support?

The Vitra Eames Plastic Chairs are tested to 110 kg and so meet the "GS" test standard. Just as important as the weight however are the users sitting habits. Swinging on the hind legs, for example, caused a very high load which can dramatically shorten the life.

Why was the seat height of the Eames DAW raised?

Since Charles and Ray Eames designed the chairs the average height of the population has grown by around 10 cm. Therefore, in addition to adjusting the height of the Eames Lounge Chair in 2015, Vitra also adapted the Plastic Chairs (DSW/DAW, DSR/DAR, DSX/DAX) to better meet current user needs. The bases of the chairs are consequently now on average 2 cm higher. The change is minimal and accordingly can only be seen in direct comparison.

What colour are the wooden legs of the Vitra DAW?

The wooden legs of the Vitra Eames DAW are stained maple. The old reddish stained version was produced until the end of 2008 and is no longer available. Since 2009 the maple wood has been stained yellow. In 2013 Vitra also released dark maple and black maple versions and in 2016 added a honey stained ash version.

How is the DAW seat height measured?

The seat height is determined according to the European standard EN 1335-1. This states that the chair be clamped in a special tester and loaded with a weight. The dimensions are then determined in the loaded state. The seat height being measured at a position defined by the standard and when in the load bearing state. The stated seat height cannot be measured with a conventional measuring device, rather is a normalised comparison value so that different chairs (for example, with and without height adjustment, or with varying thickness of seat cushion, etc.) can be compared with one another.

How do I recognise an original Eames DAW Plastic Chair?

On the underside of the seat shell, the material marking PP indicates the polypropylene used for the shell, a seal certifies the safety of the chair and a sticker indicates the place of manufacture and serial number. In addition, Vitra always supplies the original fully assembled.

Why a 2019 colour update for the Eames DAW?

The new colour palette allows for more possible combinations and offers a broader spectrum of different colour shades with the delineation into "Natural Tones", "Mid Tones" and "Bright Tones".

Please click on the picture for detailed information about the New Vitra update Colors 2019 (ca. 2,9 MB)

Design Story

The Design

Through the establishment of new manufacturing processes and materials Charles and Ray Eames were responsible on more than on occassion for small revolutions in history of furniture design. One such example is the Eames Plastic Chair Collection, a series of chairs originally developed for the Museum of Modern Art in New York's 1948 "International Competition for Low Cost Furniture" competition and which today can be found in all important museum collections. And untold homes. Created from the, then, new material of fibreglass Charles and Ray Eames achieved with their plastic armchairs and plastic side chairs affordable, mass producible chair that perfectly conformed to the spirit of late 1940s America. And chairs which eloquently meet Charles and Ray Eames central aim with heir designs, namely "The most of the best to the greatest number of people for the least."

Eames Plastic Armchair Family

Production

Initially the Eames Plastic Chairs were made of fibreglass reinforced polyester resin. In the 1940s and 1950s the material was considered revolutionary as it provided a hitherto not achievable flexible formability and had a very pleasant feel. It was also affordable for the masses. From the beginning of the 1940s Eames furniture in the U.S. was manufactured by Herman Miller. In the 1950s, Willi and Erika Fehlbaum, the founders of the then fledgling company Vitra, discovered the Eames chairs on a trip through the USA and quickly negotiated the licenses to produce Eames designs in Europe and Asia. In 1993 however the production of Eames Armchairs and Side Chairs was halted: for Vitra the continued use of fibreglass for the Eames chairs was no longer considered environmentally justifiable. Fortunately in 1999 a new material was found and the production was resumed. Polypropylene could be just as easily formed as fibreglass, was and is however recyclable. In America Herman Miller also switched production of the Eames Chairs to polypropylene.

A fibrgelass DAW showing the typical fibreglass patina

Designer

It is perhaps not so far from the truth to say that the unique relationship between Charles and Ray Eames contributed to what made, and makes, their designs so special. Charles Eames was born in 1907 in St. Louis, Ray Kaiser in 1912 in Sacramento. The pair met in 1940 at the Cranbrook Academy of Art where Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen we working on the preparations for the MoMA New York's "Organic Furniture Competition" and the art student Ray Kaiser was appointed to assist them. The following year the two married and in the decades that followed developed an extensive portfolio of graphic designs, films, toys, textiles, photographs, architecture, and last but not least the famous furniture designs.

With their oeuvre Charles and Ray Eames significantly shaped mid-20th century modernism; for all in that they freed the domestic space from the clinical control of pre-war modernism, and instead ushered in a homely aesthetic and use-oriented furniture designs and accessories. Of which the Eames chairs are fantastic examples. Charles Eames died on 21 August 1978, the next day Ray Eames closed the Eames Studio in Los Angeles. 10 years later, on August 21, 1988 Ray Eames died.

Ray and Charles Eames

Historical Context

For both Europe and the United States, the years after the Second World War were years of change. Change that led to new values. New requirements. new consumption. A new culture. These new requirements were met head-on by Charles and Ray Eames with, amongst others projects, the DAW and the other members of the plastic chair family. A particular challenge of the period was the ever-increasing demand for housing and the rising prices per square meter. Facts which combined with the consequence that the average American living room was getting smaller. Furniture therefore had to be flexible and multi-functional. The Eames chairs achieved this partly because of the many possible combinations available, and partly due to their pleasing, versatile, design.

A 1950s postcard featuring Eames designs

Manufacturer

Since the 1940s the furniture designs of Charles and Ray Eames have been produced in the USA by Herman Miller. The history of their manufacture in Europe started in the early 1950s. Willi and Erika Fehlbaum, owners of "Vitra", a small shop-fitter business in Basel, travelled to the United States where, by chance they saw an Eames chair in a shop window. Convinced of the potential of the designs they entered into negotiations over the license for European production rights. In 1959 they were awarded the licence and since then Vitra have had exclusive rights to manufacture Eames furniture in Europe and Asia. Between Charles and Ray Eames and Vitra there always existed a very close connection and even to this day problems at Vitra are approached with the question, "What would you say Charles and Ray say?". A further expression of the closeness of the connection is the fact that Vitra, and not the Eames family, took possession of the Eames archive upon Ray Eames' death. But Vitra's ambitions are by no means limited to the care of design classics. Just as important for the company are collaborations with young designers such as Hella Jongerius or Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby. In addition with the Vitra Campus, and in particular the Vitra Design Museum, Vitra are deeply involved in promotion of contemporary design, art and architecture.

Part of the Eames Archivs at Vitra

The Vitra Eames Shell Chairs: An Overview

Eames Plastic Chairs

Vitra Eames DSR
Dining Height Side Chair Rod Base

Vitra Eames DSR

Vitra Eames DSX
Dining Height Side Chair X-Base

Vitra Eames DSX

Vitra Eames DSW
Dining Height Side Chair Wood Base

Vitra Eames DSW

Vitra Eames PSCC
Pivot Side Chair Cast Base on Castors

Vitra Eames PSCC

Vitra Eames DSS-N / DSS
Dining Height Side Chair Stacking Base

Vitra Eames DSS-N / DSS

Vitra Eames DAR
Dining Height Armchair Rod Base

Vitra Eames DAR

Vitra Eames DAX
Dining Height Armchair X-Base

Vitra Eames DAX

Vitra Eames DAW
Dining Height Armchair Wooden Base

Vitra Eames DAW

Vitra Eames PACC
Pivot Armchair Cast Base on Castors

Vitra Eames PACC

Vitra Eames RAR
Rocking Armchair Rod Base

Vitra Eames RAR

Vitra Eames LAR
Lounge Height Armchair Rod Base

Vitra Eames LAR

Vitra Eames DAL
Dining Height Armchair La Fonda Base

Vitra Eames LAR

Eames Fiber Chairs

Vitra DSR Fiberglass
Dining Height Side Chair Rod Base

Vitra DSR Fiberglass

Vitra DSX Fiberglass
Dining Height Side Chair X-Base

Vitra DSX Fiberglass

Vitra DSW Fiberglass
Dining Height Side Chair Wood Base

Vitra DSW Fiberglass

Vitra DAR Fiberglass
Dining Height Armchair Rod Base

Vitra DAR Fiberglass

Vitra DAX Fiberglass
Dining Height Armchair X-Base

Vitra DAX Fiberglass

Vitra DAW Fiberglass
Dining Height Armchair Wooden Base

Vitra DAW Fiberglass

Vitra RAR Fiberglass
Rocking Armchair Rod Base

Vitra RAR Fiberglass

Vitra LAR Fiberglass
Lounge Height Armchair Rod Base

Vitra LAR Fiberglass

Eames Wire Chairs

Vitra DKR Wire Chair
Dining Height K-Wire Shell R-Wire Base

Vitra Eames DKR Wire Chair

Vitra Eames DKX Wire Chair
Dining Height K-Wire Shell X-Base

Vitra Eames DKX Wire Chair

Vitra Eames DKW Wire Chair
Dining Height K-Wire Shell Wood Base

Vitra Eames DKW Wire Chair

Vitra Eames DKR Wire Chair Checker
Dining Height K-Wire Shell R-Wire Base

Vitra Eames DKR Wire Chair Checker


More about 'DAW' in our journal

Eames Alchemy. Or how Charles and Ray Eames turned steel into plastic.....

...In addition to the metal DAX, wood DAW, rod DAR swivel PACC and rocking RAR bases we know today there was also a version with a single pedestal, a low lounge version - a version which if you ask us must have a place in our contemporary tablet and smartphone centred society - and the most charming bar stool/atelier height wooden legged version which, aside from the fact that the extra long wooden legs give the chair an elegance and balance that the DAW can't come close too emulating, ... An explanation can be found in our 2009 post DSR, RAR, DAW, ETC… The plastic chairs of Charles and Ray Eames...

DSR, RAR, DAW, ETC... Plastikstole af Charles og Ray Eames

...Tilsvarende kan steltypen hos DSX, PACC eller DAW ligeledes udledes af navnet...

DSR, RAR, DAW, ETC... The plastic chairs of Charles and Ray Eames

...Similarly the form of the DSX, PACC or DAW can be deduced from the name...

All 'DAW' Posts

Accessories

Soft Seats
Seat Pad for Eames Armchairs
Seat Dots
Leather Seat Pad for Eames Armchairs

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