What are the chair bags filled with?

History is silent about who became the first inventor of the beanbag. But the fact that this person is worthy of respect is undeniable. After all, frameless furniture, which is a bean bag chair, is much more practical and comfortable than conventional sofas, ottomans and chairs on a rigid base.

Fillers for bean bags

For some, a beanbag is a useful and cozy storage for old (and other) clothes. Someone fills them with natural materials. And furniture manufacturers offer lightweight and durable beanbags filled with polystyrene foam. But no matter what fills the internal volume, all the variety of bean bag chairs have one thing in common - a cover. Even two.

Materials for chairs

The first one plays the role of a frame: it holds the contents and, if provided for when sewing it, the shape of the chair. It is made of soft, plain, sliding fabric that does not interfere with the movement of the filler in the bag.

Combined materials are often used, for example, polyester and cotton fabric. Thanks to this combination, the inner cover is durable and does not interfere with the filler’s ability to “breathe.”

The second cover is external, decorative. For its manufacture, the same upholstery fabric is used as for conventional frame furniture. The color and texture of the fabric are selected “to match the interior”, since there is only one requirement for it - wear resistance.

If you plan to use the chair outdoors, then an outer cover made of water-repellent materials is desirable.

Fillers

Expanded polystyrene is considered the optimal filler. Its peas retain their shape well, are moisture resistant and non-flammable. Only polypropylene can compete with this material. It is more durable, odorless, but burns.

For additional comfort, foam balls can be combined with softening fillers, such as foam rubber crumbs or holofiber. If you have a choice, it is better to go with the second option - although this material is more expensive, it is safer and more durable.

The rating of synthetic fillers is completed by polyurethane foam. NASA's development has taken root well in the furniture industry due to its hypoallergenicity, safety and durability. But the irregular shape of the foam pieces is not to everyone’s taste, so it is only good for bags made of materials that hold their shape well (leather, faux leather).

If you want to give up synthetics, you can use natural fillers:

• feather and down;
• sawdust and shavings;
• buckwheat husk;
• dried grains (beans, corn, rice);
• sand and pebbles.

But the gifts of nature have a number of disadvantages. The first is weight, which limits the mobility of the chair. The second is hygroscopicity, which causes the appearance of mold, fungi and a “rot” aroma. And also rodents. They are not afraid of sand and stones, but they love an abundance of food or cozy houses in sawdust, so it is definitely not possible to use a beanbag made from natural materials outside.