Bean bag chair history goes back almost fifty years. The original bean bag chair was conceived in the late 1960’s by a team of Italian designers. It was pear-shaped (incorporating a head-rest) and made of leather. Called a “Sacco", when it was mass-produced, it was made of vinyl fabric and filled with polystyrene plastic pellets: materials which had only recently been developed. The Sacco revolutionized the concept of a chair with its rigid, hard surface design.
Instantly popular
The Sacco became an instant worldwide phenomenon and a leading icon of the 1970’s. Because a Sacco placed the sitter close to the floor and accommodated a variety of lounging body positions, it met the casual social behavior needs of the times. Consumers liked the fact that the chair molded to each individual’s body shape. Professional decorators liked the lightweight, mobile nature of the furniture. Therapists discovered that the bean bag chair helped children with sensory-integration problems. And, doctors recommended bean bag chairs for patients recovering from back surgery.
Now available from many manufacturers
As its popularity grew, many furniture manufacturers added bean bag chairs to their lines, each incorporating their own unique elements to the design. In the 1990’s, as the world of fashion made “what was old is now new", bean bag chairs evolved from “cheap furniture" to “comfortable, casual seating designed to meet a variety of needs".
Bean bag chairs in many shapes and sizes
Today, you can find bean bag chairs in many shapes and sizes. There are companies who manufacture bean bag chairs with washable, removable fabric covers. And there are some who use urethane foam as filler: a material that provides durable, substantial support.
The history of the bean bag chair is interesting in that is never really "went away" ... it evolved over the years. Today’s bean bag chair is not only versatile and fashionable, but can be custom-made to meet your needs for a good number of years!
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