DESIGN This Chair Stacks Up

Stackable office chairs are easy to store but too often tough on the tush. Now comes the Perry chair, whose makers claim comfort need no longer be sacrificed for convenience. Created by sculptor, architect and designer Charles Perry, the chair has a single-piece steel frame that flexes backward and forward, while its polypropylene seat hangs from the lower backrest so the sitter’s weight counterbalances the tilting pressure on the upper backrest. Result: a user-friendly seat that can be stacked 25 high.

The Perry chair is manufactured by Krueger International of Green Bay, Wis., which has been making seating for 50 years. Perry’s design lists for around $125, depending on the model and quantity. Krueger has sold 6,000 Perry chairs in the past eight months, proving that if you build a better stackable chair, companies will sit down and take notice.