Varier and Stokke are not, strictly speaking, competitors. The Variable Balans ergonomic kneeling chair launched at Stokke in 1979 because Peter Opsvik designed it during his work there. Stokke later stepped out of active seating, and the production rights for the Balans line moved on. Today Varier is the Norwegian brand that has carried the Peter Opsvik design lineage forward — the original kneeling chair, still in production after forty-seven years.
This page sits inside the broader ergonomic kneeling chair comparison hub. If you arrived from a Stokke search, the practical question is usually: who actually still makes the kneeling chair I am thinking of? The short answer is Varier. The longer one is below.
At a glance
| Axis | Varier | Stokke |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of the Variable Balans | Designed 1979 by Peter Opsvik. Carries the design forward. | Launched the Variable in 1979. No longer produces active seating. |
| Country of origin | Norway | Norway (parent), now focused on children’s furniture |
| Designer attribution | Peter Opsvik (verified historical attribution) | Peter Opsvik (historical, original launch) |
| Current production lineage | Continuous since the Balans line transferred | No longer producing the Variable |
| Format | Kneeling chair, sit-stand stool, recliner, accent | Children’s gear, baby furniture |
| Price band (kneeling) | ~$479–$1,250 across the kneeling line | n/a (not produced) |
The 1979 origin
Peter Opsvik designed the Variable Balans during his time at Stokke in 1979. It was the first commercial kneeling chair, the design that started the category, and it sat in the Stokke catalogue for years. Stokke’s strategic focus shifted toward baby and children’s furniture in the decades that followed; the active-seating line — Variable, Thatsit, Wing, Multi, Gravity, Ekstrem — moved through a series of production rights and finally landed at Varier, where it has stayed.
So when a buyer searches “Stokke kneeling chair,” they are looking for a chair Stokke launched and Stokke no longer makes. Varier is the brand that has continued to manufacture it, in Norway, with the same designer attribution.
What the Varier Variable Balans is today
The same design. The seat angle, the rocker base, the kneeling format, the no-backrest geometry — all carried forward from the 1979 original. Varier offers the platform in two versions: the Variable Balans (no backrest) and the Variable Plus (with backrest). The Thatsit Balans extends the same design language for taller users with an adjustable backrest. The Wing, Multi, Gravity, and Ekstrem fill out the rest of the Opsvik portfolio.
Which is right for you?
If you are choosing between Varier and Stokke for a kneeling chair: the choice is Varier, because Stokke does not make one. If you are choosing between Varier and Stokke for any active-sitting product, the same answer applies — Stokke’s current catalogue is built around children’s mobility and feeding gear, not adult ergonomic seating.
If your real question is which Varier kneeling chair is right for you, that is a different decision tree: Variable vs Thatsit covers the entry-vs-adjustable choice, and the best for back pain guide walks through the picks for that specific motivation.
What the buyer values
The Varier-curious buyer in this comparison is usually looking for one of two things. Either they want the historical original — the chair that started the category, with the original designer attribution intact — or they want a chair that has not been discontinued. Varier delivers both. The Norwegian production has been continuous, the designer credit is preserved, and the current chair is the same chair the 1979 launch covered.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Variable Balans still made by Stokke?
No. Stokke launched the Variable in 1979, and it has not been produced under the Stokke name for many years. Varier carries the production today.
Why did Stokke stop making kneeling chairs?
Stokke’s strategic focus shifted to children’s furniture and baby gear. The active-seating line was not core to that focus, and the production rights moved on. The chair itself did not change — its production address did.
Is the Varier Variable the same chair as the original Stokke Variable?
Yes. Same design, same Peter Opsvik attribution, same Norwegian production. The platform is now offered in two versions (Variable and Variable Plus) and an adjustable-backrest sibling (Thatsit) — but the original Variable Balans is intact.
What about other Stokke ergonomic chairs?
The Move stool, Gravity Balans, and Ekstrem also originated in the same Opsvik design language. They followed the same path: launched at Stokke, carried forward by Varier.
Where can I read more on the design history?
The Peter Opsvik chairs piece covers the design lineage, and the back pain guide covers the modern use case.
