AFRDI certification explained

If you have written or answered a furniture tender in Australia, you have seen AFRDI in the specification. It is worth knowing what it certifies and when it matters.

AFRDI is the Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute, an independent body that tests furniture to published standards. Certification means a product has been physically tested by a third party, not that a manufacturer has assessed its own product.

What Level 6 means

AFRDI Level 6 is the severe commercial rating. It covers strength, stability, durability and safety under heavy, sustained use. A Level 6 chair has been through cycle testing that simulates years of daily commercial service.

Level 6 is the level most often specified for government offices, schools, universities and public facilities, precisely because those environments see mixed users and constant use.

When you actually need it

Not every chair needs Level 6. A chair used all day by staff in an administration office is a strong candidate. A stool used occasionally in an art room is usually not. Where a tender specifies it, though, it is a pass or fail requirement, and substituting an uncertified product will disqualify a submission.

How to check

Ask for the certificate number and the level. Certification is per product and per configuration, so a certificate for one model does not automatically cover a variant with different arms or a different base. If a supplier cannot produce the certificate, treat the claim as unverified.

Other marks you will see

GECA covers environmental certification. BIFMA is the American commercial furniture standard and appears on some imported ranges. They answer different questions to AFRDI, and a tender may ask for more than one.

If you are preparing a specification and are unsure which level applies, talk to us and we will work through it with you. Browse office seating.