New Bean Bags
Say hello to our new family members. You can now choose from over 2500 bean bags in a variety of colours, sizes, styles and materials. As always made in the UK using only the highest quality materials.
»View All Bean Bags
Bean Bags — Chairs and Fun In One!
Many of us played with bean bags as a child but how many of us were lucky enough to have bean bag chairs? Well, if we did not have them as children, there is nothing stopping us from purchasing them as adults. These portable furnishings make any room more fun, adding a relaxed style that other furniture just cannot seem to deliver. Whether we use them in an entertainment area, den, or game room, we will smile while sinking into the cushioned comfort. We have a large selection of bean bag covers in a wide range of materials and fabrics.
What Are Bean Bags?
We know these chairs are soft, but what creates this feeling? Expanded polystyrene, PVC pellets, shredded memory foam, or real dried beans are placed into a sealed bag. When a bean bag cover is added that encloses the bag, the item becomes a comfortable seat large enough to support a child or adult. Even pets enjoy lounging on these chairs, with some animals tiny enough to sink into the middle and nearly be enveloped by comfort.
Italian designers Teodora, Paolini, and Gatti developed the first chair of this type in 1969 while employed with the Zanotta Company. This style was a pear-shaped leather bag containing Styrofoam beans and was called a Socco. Once this version was mass-produced, it became the template for future models. It was the first chair that moved with the person occupying it, creating a unique feeling for each user.
Virgin polystyrene beans are manufactured specifically for child and adult bean bag chairs. A recycled version is created by grinding up molded, hard Styrofoam that is used for packing material with computers, televisions, and other fragile merchandise. Rather than being discarded after a single use, this material is repurposed, creating the traditional filling for the comfortable chairs. These chairs are lighter, less expensive, and more supportive than the foam versions. However, over time, the beans may flatten and require replacement.
Safety and Care of Bean Bag Chairs
Before making a purchase, parents often wonder whether chairs made from bean bags are safe for children. For versions that are double stitched and have a double zipper with a safety locking feature, the answer is yes. Some manufacturers even remove the zipper pull tab as an additional safety feature. To open the zipper, the adult simply inserts a paper clip as a pull tab.
However, no safety feature eliminates the need for adult supervision when children are using these chairs. Kids love the seats because the furnishings are large, soft, and portable. However, these chairs are not designed to be punching bags or as weapons in a pillow fight. Adults should carefully monitor young children when these chairs are present.
It is not difficult to care for bean bags. Some chairs do not feature inner liners so they must be spot cleaned because the bean bag covers cannot be removed. Other styles have covers that can be taken off and hand or machine washed and dried. Proper use and care ensures that these chairs will be around for many years.
