How Can You Tell If A Steelcase Chair Is Real?

Steelcase chairs are the cheaper but the most professional office chairs in the market. They are available at a very lower price and last for a longer period of time. However, people sometimes doubt if a chair can be a fake Steelcase chair or not; as a result, people tend to ask how to differentiate the fake one from the real Steelcase Chair.

How can you tell if a Steelcase Chair Is Real? All Steelcase chairs have the Logo engraved on the backrest’s backside. Moreover, you will find the chairs’ labels attached underneath the chair’s seat. The authenticity will also be proved by matching the chair’s specifications with the original specification.

In this article, you will get to know about all the necessary things you need to know about fake Steelcase chairs. Lastly, you will get to know about the detailed process of identifying the fake Steelcase chair. 

So, without any further ado, let us get started. 

Are There Fake Steelcase Chairs?

No, there is no trace of fake Steelcase chairs. However, many people have claimed in the past that the chair they owns might be a fake Steelcase chair. But there these claims are not true.

Fake products can be available in various black markets. But when it comes to Steelcase products, there are no fake Steelcase Chairs. However, you will come across people claiming that the chair he owns might be a fake Steelcase chair.

But trust me, that cannot be the case. Steelcase chairs can be sold in the Gray Market. Gray Market is the place where you find the products which are sold outside the normal distribution of channels. 

Here, the seller will be unauthorized and will have no relationship with the manufacturer. The deals of Gray Market will definitely be attractive as the rate will be cheaper, but they will not be able to provide you with the warranties or any other after sales services.  

However, these are not fake Steelcase Chairs. These chairs are simply second-hand products or have some second-hand components which will be claimed as new or authentic ones. 

I do not recommend you to buy Steelcase chairs from Gray Market because you will not get any kind of after sales service, and the products & components might not be authentic. 

How Can You Tell If A Steelcase Is Real?

Steelcase chairs are a very popular chair among office workers. Although there are no chances of getting fake Steelcase chairs, you might want to check the authenticity. 

Here’s a step by step  process of identifying the real steelcase Chairs:

All Steelcase chairs have the Logo engraved on the backside of the backrest of the chair. It can be located in any place, for example, the Steelcase series 1 or  Leap has the Logo engraved on the lumbar support’s curved area.

Step 2 – Search For The Label Attached To It. 

All the Steelcase chairs have the label attached to the downside of the chair’s seat. You will also find the Steelcase Chairs’ Model Number Identification, which clearly shows the chair’s authenticity. 

Let me give you the Steelcase Chairs’ Model Number Identification for each of the Chair models so that you can identify it effectively.

Steelcase Chairs’ Model Number IdentificationSteelcase Chairs Model
433Protege
434Cobi
424Gesture
453Criterion
457Rally
458Sensor
460Rapport
461Drive
462Leap 
465Think
466Reply
474Snodgrass
475Player
477Max Stacker
482Amia
487Cachet
490Move

Step 3 – Match The Specifications

After you have seen the Logo and checked the Steelcase Chairs’ Model Number Identification, now what you need to do is check the specifications.

For example: Check out the list of Steelcase Leap chairs specifications, and do match it with the Steelcase chair you have. 

FeaturesSteelcase Leap
Seat Depth15 3/4″ to 18 3/4″ 
Seat Width19 1/4″
Seat Height from Floor15 1/2″ to 20 1/2″ 
Back Width18″
Back Height from Seat25″
Overall Height38 1/2″ to 43 1/2″
Overall Depth21 3/4″ to 24 3/4″ 
Overall Width27″
Back Lumbar Height5 1/4″ to 10 1/4″ 
Lumbar Flex Zone4″ 
Width Between Arms12 3/4″ to 20″
Arm to Floor22″ to 31″ 
Arm Height from Seat7″ to 11″
Arm Cap Pivot Range+/- 30 degrees
Seat Pan Angle-1 degree to 3 degrees
Angle Between Seat and Back96 degrees to 120 degrees

Now match the specifications with the doubtful chair so that you can know the actual truth. 

Recommended Article: 4 Popular Steelcase Chairs With Headrest

Are Steelcase Chairs Made In China?

Steelcase has its manufacturing plants in North America, Europe, and Asia. The maximum number of manufacturing plants are situated in North America. 

However, the manufacturing plants in Europe and Asia have a combined area of 230,000 sq. meters. In Asia, the manufacturing plants are situated in India and Malaysia. 

For more information, check out the article named Where Are Steelcase Chairs Made?

How Do I Know If My Steelcase Leap Is V1 Or V2?

You can identify the Leap V1 and V2 chairs by looking for the differences. Let me tell you the differences. 

The difference between Steelcase Leap V1 and V2 are mentioned below;

  1. The Steelcase Leap V1 has a shorter back design, and the V2 has a shorter back design. 
  2. The Steelcase V1 has a less thick yet comfortable cushion than Steelcase Leap V2.
  3. The armrests of the Steelcase Leap V2 are made of plastic, whereas the Steelcase Leap V1 has a steel frame. 
  4. The armrests of Steelcase Leap V2 are 4-dimensional, but the Steelcase Leap V1 has 3-dimensional armrests. 
  5. The armrests padding and shaping are also a bit different in both the chairs. The one with well-padding and more concave sides is the Steelcase Leap V1.

Is Amazon A Steelcase Authorized Reseller?

Yes, Amazon is an authorized reseller that sells Steelcase products online. However, there are a few independent resellers who sell the products via Amazon, but Steelcase does not authorize them. 

Therefore, you need to check from where the product is being shipped or who is selling the product while purchasing.

You will find this information in the header for each product on Amazon which says “Visit the Steelcase storeâ€. 

Recommended Article: Are There Fake Aeron Chairs?

Meraj Jahan

Hey, I am a co-author at Office Chair Trends. Not only have I experience working for extended hours behind the desks at my workstation, but I also have seen people in my surroundings suffer from body aches. Being a reader by day and writer by night, I have researched this matter and gathered knowledge along the way. I am sharing all my experiences on this site.