Guide to Buying a Bean Bag

What is in a bean bag?

A bean bag is a sealed bag usually made of fabric containing a bean bag filling - lots of tiny polystyrene bean bag beans. BeanBagBazaar specialise in designing, making and selling quality bean bag chairs and bean bag seats.

In the 1970s bean bags became immensely popular as furniture, however they fell out of favour in the 1980s due to the uncomfortable original designs – literally just a sack of beans. In the late 1990s up until today, bean bags are back in fashion and are immensely popular with all age groups. New ergonomic patterns, updated manufacturing techniques and new colours and fabric types have meant that bean bags are now coveted pieces of furniture, with different styles and shapes like any other chair or sofa. See our new How to Top Up Your Bean Bag Guide!

What is a bean bag made of?

Bean bags can be made from a variety of fabrics, but rest assured that the fabric of all our bean bags meets all UK fire safety regulations. We have tried and tested many different fabric types and have hand-picked the best fabrics for bean bags, which offer more support or flexibility depending on what the product requires. For a more detailed Fabric Guide click here.

Faux Leather Bean Bags

Faux Leather Bean Bags are artificial leather made from PVC which gives the excellent effect of leather without the price tag! BeanBagBazaar faux leather is soft and supple with a leather grain embossed into the fabric, so you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for the real thing.

Outdoor bean bags

Outdoor bean bags are made from 100% polyester, making them water resistant and easy to wipe clean. They come in a rainbow of colours, ideal for kid’s bedrooms and playrooms. They can even be used in the garden! Outdoor beanbag fabric has a firmer structure, making it ideal for bean bags that need to retain their shape. When not in use, these bean bags should be stored indoors.

Cotton

Cotton bean bags are made from 100% cotton which is soft, strong, practical and colourful. The Kids Character bean bags and the Bambeano® Baby Bean Bag have removable covers which can be machine washed at 30° for easy care. This makes cotton a popular choice for kids bean bags.

We also offer bean bags in fashion forward or seasonal fabrics such as Barkweave fabric, micro-plush or chenille. If you’re not sure on colour or fabric type, fabric swatches are available on request.

What is a bean bag filled with? 

BeanBagBazaar beanbags are filled with fire retardant EPS virgin bead. The type of bead we use offers superior support, with each bead individually moving to mould to your body as you sit in the bean bag. You can buy top ups and refills available from the Bean Bag Filling page.

How big is a bean bag?

Below we give a brief overview on the different sizes of bean bags and who they are most suitable for. Our new Bean Bag Size Guide is also available to help you decide on the best bean bag size to choose.


The size of beanbag you choose is dependent on who will be using it! Bean bags range from tiny baby bean bags, right through to double bean bags to share! Our kids bean bags are designed for children of average size aged 3-10 years old. They are designed specifically for kids to be able to sit on them comfortably and they are lightweight for children to carry around with them. All bean bags have been individually measured and this information is available in each product listing.

If your children are particularly tall or are on the cusp of the 9-11 year old age group, you may want to consider upgrading to an adult beanbag to get the most life out of a beanbag!

Adult bean bags vary in size – smaller adult bean bags can be used for occasional seating so they are designed for ‘perching’ on rather than lounging around in. On the other hand, we have bean bags which contain up to 20+ cubic feet of beans and bean bag furniture, including 6ft long sofas! When buying a bean bag, take into account the end user of the beanbag and how they plan to use it – will you be spending hours watching TV, reading or playing video games on it? In which case we recommend the bigger the better! Alternatively if you are using the bean bag as a piece of conventional furniture, you’ll want to go for something traditionally bean bag chair or sofa-shaped. Finally if you just want something as a spare chair or seat – for example if you have guests, you will probably want something smaller and lightweight to pull out just when you need it. Sizes of individual beanbags are available in the product listings.

If you have a specific question on size or need advice on what to buy, please call our experienced Customer Service team on Freephone 0800 988 1286.

Why are bean bags better than normal furniture?

Bean bags are often favoured to conventional sofas, armchairs or settees because they are inexpensive furniture items and often can be more comfortable! The soft, supple designs mean that bean bags hug your body as you sit into them, therefore providing the most comfortable and supportive seat. With the average price for an adult beanbag around £60, it makes this a very attractive alternative to a sofa or additional chair.

Bean bags are great for kids as they allow them to be kids – no more worrying about your expensive sofas being marked anymore! They can pick them up, move them around and generally lounge around in them. Bean bags offer more colour choice and a wider range of fabrics than traditional armchairs and settees.

Beanbags are also ideal for students who need affordable items to furnish their student accommodation – beanbags are great for reading and studying in.

What are the features of a bean bag?

Each of the bean bag chairs from BeanBagBazaar has been individually designed with a variety of unique design features, making our bean bags extra strong, safe and stylish.

Fire retardant

All BeanBagBazaar bean bags pass relevant UK fire safety regulations.

Double Stitching

Every stitch made is done twice over for strength and practicality.

Overlocked Stitching

Our bean bags are overlocked for safety and strength.

Wipe Clean

Faux leather and outdoor fabrics are easy to wipe clean from sticky fingers and spilled drinks!

Double Zipped

All bean bags have two zips for the safety of young children and also to prevent beans spilling out.

Piping

Some bean bags have a strong piping detail around the edge of the bean bags to create distinctive panelling and a unique design feature.