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Fully office furniture is about moving while sitting, good posture, with a focus on health


“People love to come in and try things out,” said David Kahl, founder and CEO. “This is kind of an active office, active furniture wonderland in here." Here;s he sitting in the Capisco chair. (KATU){p}{/p}
“People love to come in and try things out,” said David Kahl, founder and CEO. “This is kind of an active office, active furniture wonderland in here." Here;s he sitting in the Capisco chair. (KATU)

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A Portland office furniture company has a new way of sitting...and standing...and moving in the workplace.

After years as an online e-commerce store, Fully opened a brick and mortar store about five years ago and this year expanded to a furniture showroom on Southeast Water Avenue.

Inside the Fully showroom, the chairs move, making the person sitting in one move too.

Desks rise, or lower, at the touch of a finger.

Stools bounce and flex on springs, Setting up a rhythm for the user.

And for a minute it's hard to pick out the employees from the customers.

Everyone is moving...even while sitting.

“People love to come in and try things out,” said David Kahl, founder and CEO. “This is kind of an active office, active furniture wonderland in here."

Kahl said the intention of starting the business was to bring furniture that's not only looks good but is good for you.

“So it encourages you to move around more, and encourages you to be in positions that are more natural,” he said “When you're working at a desk or sitting in a chair you're not necessarily sedentary and relaxing your body's ready for the next thing and it's engaged and ready for the next thing and alive and awake.”

One of the company's signature - and best selling products - is the Jarvis standing desk. And while standing has its benefits, it can be tough on your feet.

There's a mat for that.

“We didn't evolve as humans walking on flat surfaces so we have a non-flat standing mat we've also designed that encourages you to be in positions that are more appropriate or more indicative of what the earth is like,” Kahl said.

For those who prefer sitting, the Capisco chair has cut-outs on the seat and arms on the back to encourage good posture.

“It invites the knees down a little bit more, so we get in a position that's a little more upright..knees below the pelvis, similar to what you'd be in a kneeling chair,” he said. “Rather than at the end of the lunch hour you're back at work and slumping back after your heavy meal, you can still get support from the front and be in a posture that's really nice and healthy. It's there to support the human body to make it want to move to the next position. And you do it without thinking about it.”

Kahl says the furniture for both office and home is designed in-house.

Outside contractors from all over the world then build the pieces for sale online, in Portland and at their store in San Francisco.

He says that new, small start-ups and tech companies are looking for alternatives to traditional office furniture.

“There's certainly a lot of evidence that shows we work more efficiently and longer hours and in a more concentrated state in the office when we're upright in positions that are more natural,” he said.. “In the living room, in the dining room..all over the home we think there's a lot of opportunity for us to sit in a more mindful way.”

*Although Fully's designs are meant to encourage the user to move, Kahl tells us that it also has to look good.

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