Exercising a lot is essential for a healthy body. But sitting in a passive sitting position represents an obstacle for better, easier movement.

Unbalanced pressure on the back

The spine, especially the (young) intervertebral discs, cannot handle the increased pressure when sitting passively on chairs. They will deform or lose the ability to grow healthy. Reliable researches from Scandinavia showed that the pressure in the adult intervertebral discs when sitting passively on a chair is much higher than with heavy lifting! Sitting for prolonged period of times then leads to more harmful skewing.

Sitting behaviour research

Scientists discovered why and how active sitting can create a nice S-curve in the back, which protects us against ‘deterioration’. All our joints have a natural relaxed position. This also applies to our hips, their resting position is at an angle of 135 degrees between the torso and thigh. The researchers found that when we sit at 90 degrees, which we usually do when sitting on chairs, the pelvis is pushed back and the lower back loses its protective cavity. The short hamstrings are very much needed to stay upright.

Sit safely on the Zami

With the Zami as an active sitting solution, you can easily create that “safe angle” in the hips thanks to the double curved seating surface. You can put your hips and knees in all positions, which allows you to feel relaxed and easily change (sitting) position. Furthermore, balance sensors placed under our sit bones ensure that we sit upright to get our heavy human skull correctly laying on the pressure points of the sit bones.

There are more active sitting solutions, such as the ball, the saddle stool, wobble stool, knee seat, but, due to its unique shape, stability and strength, the Zami combines all their advantages in one product.

Piet van Loon – orthopedic surgeon

The Zami Ergo

The Zami-Ergo stimulates you to move because of the convex, double curved seat. You are free to use the Zami Ergo in the normal position, but also as a saddle seat. The legs are wide apart, so you can put your legs anywhere and rest your feet behind the front legs.

The consequences of sitting incorrectly

Ruud Jan Kokke, designer and user from the very beginning (scoliosis).

Both in my environment and in the world of sedentary work and learning, I have heard and seen many consequences of incorrect sitting, people with back pain, hernias and, just like myself, with scoliosis. Well-known Scandinavian designers (and doctors) all point out that sitting at a right angle of 90 degrees is bad for your back. Instead of a nice natural S-curve in the back, the back becomes more rounded, curved or just too flat at the bottom. That is becoming a problem at an increasingly younger age. I really see it a lot out there: the “game boy back”.

On Zami you sit on the sit bones. They are our physical designated area to sit on. Most chairs are soft and hollow, making our skeleton “floating” on our hamstrings and glutes, but without the possibility move freely. In this case, there is no direct contact with the sit bones anywhere. This is what this design does. By sitting on our own sitting bones, we immediately stimulate our muscles to correctly balance our heavy head and shoulders above them. Try it out!

Zami is the solution for changing children’s sitting habits. A healthy posture is at the very center of the design of all Zami products. When sitting on a Zami, children need to move regularly, resulting in an optimal curvature of the spine.

Children with back problems

There are more than 2 million people suffering from back problems. This is often due to a prolonged time sitting. We can see a pattern in Dutch people’ seating habits depending on their age. Children aged 4 to 12 spend an average time of 7.3 hours a day sitting, with a three hours increase for young people. These are the statistics from Leefstijlmonitor a collaboration of Dutch National institute for Public Health & Environment, SecurityNL and Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Children sit both at school and in their free time

For children, sitting at school for an average of three hours a day is the most common sitting activity. Young people sit during class, when doing homework and while using computer, tablet, or smartphone in their free time. Adults too spend lots of time sitting both at work and while watching TV. Too often, children are sitting slumped with their backs round. By sitting too much, the curvature of the spine disappears and the pressure on the lower back increases. Zami promotes movement while sitting.

Sitting with a hollow back

Zami’s chairs are the result of years of research carried on by the orthopedic surgeon  Piet Van Loon. He is specialised in preventive and non-surgical solutions for the spine. ‘By sitting actively on your sitting bones you straighten your back and the spine maintains its protective S-curve. This reduces the pressure on the lower back.‘ The double curved patented seat from Zami (Japanese for “good sitting”) forces children to change their sitting position regularly. “Easier breathing, freedom of movement of the head and neck and strengthened back muscles are part of the result”.Thanks to the input of designer Ruud-Jan Kokke, a beautiful design was created. Kokke used a round tree trunk as a source of inspiration.

Ergonomic school chair with a quality label

An ergonomic chair or stool is essential in schools and (child and youth) care institutions. Zami is compact, solid and takes up little space. This makes it very easy to work at a safe distance. Many seating furniture brands claim to be ergonomic without having their products tested by independent third parties. The VHP quality label certifies the Zami furniture as an ergonomically responsible seating position.

Four different Zami chairs

Zami is available in four heights: Zami-Ergo One, for the smallest children, Zami-Ergo Essential for users at a classic desk height, Zami-Ergo SitSta is the medium length, and Zami-Ergo Bar is suitable for higher tabletops. Zami is a Dutch brand of ergonomic design furniture, made of European materials of the highest quality.

Linda ten Kate (Ergonomic advisor) about Zami:

‘I am very satisfied with the Zami ergo chair.The nice thing is that you naturally adopt a good posture. I’ve had it at home for a while. My daughter sat on it effortlessly and used it to sit but also to play leapfrog! I see that children like to use it at school as well. They need to get used to it. Zami provokes continuous movement without disturbing the surroundings.’

‘A major renovation of one of our teaching wings took place in the past year. We created several workplaces for students, and the Zami stool is part of them. In addition, in the Technasium workshop a group of workstations with several Zami crutches has been realized.

Marga Nievelstein, Bonhoeffer College Headmaster:

‘Students have to get used to the stool. After using the workplaces for a few weeks, they were happy with the stool. “You are not sitting still, you are moving without noticing during work.” The students think it is cool. I believe it is very good for students to use an ergonomically responsible piece of furniture.’

Zag B.V. has a strategic partnership with Matador B.V. in Helvoirt with regard to production, assembly, logistics, stock management and order processing.

Working from home experienced a boom due to the corona crisis. This has caused stress and pain complaints from many people. After hours of working at the kitchen table, that’s when hernia and other back problems start. Several back specialists warn against the danger of this habit. Pain in the neck, back, shoulders or arms can be a result.

Working from home on the couch or at the kitchen table

Working from home offers advantages, but a home workstation is often not well designed. Many offices are equipped with ergonomically designed office chairs and height-adjustable tables. Unfortunately, employees who work from home, on the couch or at the kitchen table, would also need this kind of furniture. A well-equipped home office starts with a good chair. The Zami design makes the home workplace ergonomic and will fit to any interior. Zami is compact, solid and takes up little space.

Higher productivity through healthy working posture

A wrong sitting position has negative repercussions not only on the health, but also on the productivity of an employee. Zami is a new ergonomic chair that encourages active sitting. It is the solution that will change the sitting behavior of both office workers and of the rising number of people who work from home. A healthy posture is at the very center of the design of all Zami products. When sitting on a Zami, children need to move regularly, resulting in an optimal curvature of the spine.

Ergonomics meets design

Zami combines elegance with ergonomics, making it a perfect and attractive seating solution for any interior. Zami’s chairs are the result of years of research carried on by the orthopedic surgeon  Piet Van Loon. He is specialised in preventive and non-surgical solutions for the spine. Designer Ruud-Jan Kokke took care of the design of the ergonomic products from Zami.“By sitting actively on your sitting bones you straighten your back and the spine maintains its protective S-curve. This reduces the pressure on the lower back.” The double curved patented seat from Zami (Japanese for “good sitting”) forces children to change their sitting position regularly. “Easier breathing, freedom of movement of the head and neck and strengthened back muscles are part of the result”. Thanks to the input of designer Ruud-Jan Kokke, a beautiful design was created. Kokke used a round tree trunk as a source of inspiration.  Unlike most ergonomic solutions, Zami gives a sense of luxury and simplicity in one design.

Consultation with the employer

The employer is responsible for providing a healthy working situation for employees. For this reason, many employers are willing to provide an ergonomically responsible workplace at home. That means a good desk, a screen at the right height and an ergonomically approved office chair. Zami is an affordable solution and can be supplemented with a height-adjustable table.

Four different Zami chairs

Zami is available in four heights: Zami-Ergo One, for the smallest children, Zami-Ergo Essential for users at a classic desk height, Zami-Ergo SitSta is the medium length, and Zami-Ergo Bar is suitable for higher tabletops. Zami is a Dutch brand of ergonomic design furniture, made of European materials of the highest quality.

Erik Saathof, occupational physiotherapist:

‘I am very satisfied with the Zami I received a few months ago. I now have the medium-height version (Zitsta) with my desk at 85 centimeters and I am sitting on almost nothing else. I almost seem to fall asleep on every other office chair. Amazing product, compliments!’

Mr. SCH van Loon, Amsterdam:

‘The new normal: in the beginning it took me some time getting used to it, but now I don’t want anything else anymore. I have been using the Zami as an office chair for years now. The slightly rounded seat of the Zami and the absence of a backrest automatically cause an active and mobile sitting position. In my case, it meant loss of stiffness in my lower back. The sitting position on the Zami has become the new normal. No more usual office chairs for me!’

Zag B.V. has a strategic partnership with Matador B.V. in Helvoirt with regard to production, assembly, logistics, stock management and order processing.

Zami’s ergonomic chair stimulates an active sitting position.

The human body is not built for long periods of sitting. Originally, men were constantly moving in search of food or safety. Nowadays, this is no longer a necessity. Food is within reach, and our way of moving now involves sitting in cars, buses, trains or other means of transportation. And if that wasn’t enough,we spend most of our free time sitting in front of a computer screen or a tv. Our sedentary lifestyle is seriously threatening the health of our back.

Sitting is the cause of back issues

Many people have back problems, and in most cases they affect the lower back. Damage or deterioration of the intervertebral disc can be a cause. Sitting for too long and in a wrong position means putting an excessive load on the spine. Zami’s chairs are the result of years of research carried on by the orthopedic surgeon  Piet Van Loon. He is specialised in preventive and non-surgical solutions for the spine.

“By sitting actively on your sitting bones you straighten your back and the spine maintains its protective S-curve. This reduces the pressure on the lower back.”

Research shows worrying results

There are more than 2 million people suffering from back problems. This is often due to a prolonged time sitting. We can see a pattern in Dutch people’ seating habits depending on their age. Children aged 4 to 12 spend an average time of 7.3 hours a day sitting, with a three hours increase for young people. These are the statistics from Leefstijlmonitor a collaboration of RIVM, SecurityNL and Statistics Netherlands (CBS).

Exercise, even while sitting

The double curved patented seat from Zami (Japanese for “good sitting”) forces users to change their sitting position regularly. “Easier breathing, freedom of movement of the head and neck and strengthened back muscles are part of the result – says Van Loon – The Zami gives an optimal curvature of the spine, creating a good, active posture.”

Four different Zami chairs

Zami is available in four heights: Zami-Ergo One, for the smallest children, Zami-Ergo Essential for users at a classic desk height, Zami-Ergo SitSta is the medium length, and Zami-Ergo Bar is suitable for higher tabletops. Zami is a Dutch brand of ergonomic design furniture, made of European materials of the highest quality.

Linda ten Kate (Ergonomic advisor) about Zami:

‘I am very satisfied with the Zami ergo chair. The nice thing is that you naturally adopt a good posture. I’ve had it at home for a while. My daughter sat on it effortlessly and used it to sit but also to play leapfrog! I see that children like to use it at school as well. They need to get used to it. Zami provokes continuous movement without disturbing the surroundings.’

Peter S. National Government Training Center (Opleidingscentrum Rijksoverheid):

‘Thanks to the Zami, after a day of computer work, I no longer suffer from annoying low back pain. During many hours of VDU work I regularly alternate between sitting on a Zami and working from a standing position with a standing / sitting table. And if I want to watch a long movie on the couch in the evening? No problem!’

Zag B.V. has a strategic partnership with Matador B.V. in Helvoirt with regard to production, assembly, logistics, stock management and order processing.