Pros And Cons Of Bean Bags For Your Health And Home

Almost everyone is familiar with the use of bean bag chairs. These come and go as decorative room trends, but remain as staple pieces for those looking for alternative seats in their rooms or living spaces. Due to their many uses, they’ve become a go-to for some offices or establishments, like schools and other learning centers.

These chairs are cozy and comfortable to use, and they come in different shapes, sizes, and designs. However, although they come with numerous benefits, there are also some demerits worth noting. To give you a brief background on both the positive and negative sides of bean bags, read the entirety of this article.

bean bag

Pros

  • Come With Medical Benefits

Ergonomic furniture can help create the correct sitting posture, which can prevent most health problems today. If you’re working in a typical workplace, then, at times, you may have felt pain in your back and joints due to the long hours of working in front of your desk computer. Bean bags can improve your back health so you can get rid of the pain and discomfort.

When sitting on them, your body size can automatically fit into them, thereby promoting good posture. Sitting on these bean bags also promotes mental relaxation, which may help with anxiety, stress, and depression.

  • Environment-Friendly

The construction of conventional home furniture requires the cutting of millions of trees each day. However, a bean bag doesn’t require the use of trees, therefore making it an eco-friendly product. Anyone can rest guilt-free, knowing that such a seating option isn’t composed of wood or other precious resources. Bean bag chairs typically contain shredded foam, which is generated from recycled plastics or other materials. Therefore, your eco-friendly bean bag chair can help make the future greener.

  • Many Designs To Choose From

There’s no going back to the days of giant marshmallows and poor fabrics in bean bags. Today, you can choose from various styles to fit into any theme and design of your home or office. Thanks to limitless and innovations and people’s creativity, there’s now a vast pool of choices for bean bags. Besides different colors, designers are also incorporating various shapes and sizes into new releases. There are even contemporary designs that allow these bean bags to be used entirely as a sofa. With no weight disadvantages, they’re completely comfortable to sit on.

  • Easy To Clean And Sanitize

Unlike conventional furniture, bean bags don’t come with corners or areas that are hard to reach and clean. A bean bag is one solid piece without cracks or crevices. Also, the ease of cleaning them means you won’t get to escape unreachable areas. Bean bag chairs don’t collect dust, which, then, means they’re healthier and safer to use.

  • Light And Movable

Bean bag chairs’ portability makes them very appealing. This feature makes them a popular choice for outdoor seating since you can move them to suit your needs. They’re very lightweight, so even kids and young toddlers can quickly move them according to their desired position or location. 

They don’t consume much space, too, so you can add more bean bags for everyone to enjoy. You can store them away, as well as bring them out whenever you need some additional seating when you have guests.

Because they’re super lightweight, no matter how often they’ll be relocated, they won’t cause any damage to your flooring.

  • Reasonably Priced

Bean bags tend to be among the least expensive seating options available, although some designer ones come with hefty prices. Due to the materials used for creating these pieces, it’s just understandable why they’re very cost-effective.

Manufacturers simply have to stuff the casing with inexpensive materials, and then fasten the lid. Unlike other intricate furniture pieces, there’s no need for such processes in these simplified bean bags. A seat manufactured this way is much like making a zipped sweater and stuffing it with chips rather than handcrafting it.

  • Customizable

Some other pieces of furniture can also be personalized according to your preferred design and style. However, you should expect to pay large amounts of money for customized features. With bean bags, however, they can be customizable and adaptable to your style, without spending lots of money on them. You can completely change the ambiance of a room with beautiful custom bean bags.

It’s easier to craft a bean bag than to hunt for a piece of furniture that’ll fit your mold. For example, you can obtain a large variant with a pattern, or even one that contains different types of fillings inside. Fillings that can be great alternatives to expanded polystyrene are possible. You’ll be surprised to find that there are bean bags that could contain stuffing like organic materials, rice, peanuts, and even old clothes. You can even choose some other unique fillings for your bean bag.  

  • Can Be Used Outdoors

Bean bags are now being used in outdoor premises. There are many patios and deck designs into which you can incorporate bean bags. With the waterproof and weather-resistant fabrics of these chairs, they can make for great outdoor furniture. These days, you can buy bean bag chairs that can resist the elements, which means you can freely use them outside. Therefore, you can sit on your bean bag at the pool and spend all day relaxing, instead of sitting on a plastic sun lounger that can, at times, feel uncomfortable.

Since their fabric is designed to fit well with exterior and outdoor conditions, you can expect them to last long. They make great substitutions for outdoor furniture, like wooden and steel chairs, that, sometimes, can’t withstand extreme temperatures.

  • Comfortable And Relaxing

The softness and squishiness of the bean bags’ interiors adapt to their body shape. Hence, they’re unbelievably comfortable to sit and sleep on. Bean bags can be used in a variety of ways and positions. For example, you might sit upright, lie on your side, or lie on your stomach with it. No matter the position, it’ll ensure a level of comfort that you can’t find in any other seating options.

A bean bag can also accommodate a pregnant woman’s bump and allow her to lie on her stomach—an impossible position on a standard bed.

bean bag 2

Cons

  • Not Sturdy Compared To Other Types Of Furniture

It’s necessary to refill bean bags as their filling material flattens with time. A bean bag cover doesn’t last as long as a sofa or couch cover made of high-quality fabric. Furthermore, replacing the fabric covers could be impossible since you’ll need to open everything entirely. 

  • Hard To Get Up From Them

Bean bags sink when you sit on them because of their softness. As a result, the user will have difficulty getting up once they’re seated, especially if they have knee or leg problems. Specifically for older adults, these seats could be hard for them to sit down on and get up from.

  • Challenging To Get Rid Of

EPS (expanded polystyrene) balls are the most common filler in bean bags. To make sure that they don’t pose a danger to the environment, you must dispose of these beads carefully. This only means that disposing of bean bags can be challenging. 

Bean bag fillings aren’t biodegradable, but the entire thing could be recycled. So, it’s best to donate them to recyclers and other recycling facilities. One alternative of using EPS as bean bag fillings is to use eco-friendly fillers, like buckwheat. Although this might not be as comfy as expanded polystyrene, they’re pretty a much greener option.

  • Unsafe For Babies To Use

Bean bags may seem like the perfect bed for adults and kids, but they aren’t the best choice for infants. Bean bag beds are suitable for children over 12 months, but babies under 12 months can suffocate from them. Thus, it’s best to avoid placing your baby on bean bags as it would be hard for them to move and stay relaxed.

  • Can Make You Sweaty

If used for a long time, it could be uncomfortable to sit on bean bags due to their fabrics and styles. They can actually make you sweat a lot. When it’s humid, you’ll sweat a lot on your back, most especially.

  • Overly Comfortable

Bean bags are popular extra seating options at schools because they’re inexpensive and portable. Unfortunately, due to the kind of comfort they can offer, some students might end up sleeping on them. This becomes a problem for educators.

In a learning environment, being too comfortable may not be a good thing. There’s a reason why some school chairs are made of wood, which aren’t too comfy, so kids won’t fall asleep and stay alert to study and learn.

bean bag 3

Conclusion

Personal and professional bean bags have improved a lot over the years. By now, you should be better informed on the advantages and disadvantages of bean bags, and can either decide whether it’s appropriate to use them in your home or office. You and your kids can use bean bags around the house since they’re affordable, stylish, and fun to use. However, it’s necessary to be keen on their demerits, so you’d know their limitations, too.

Subscribe
Subscribe to stay updated on featured projects, design news and insights across Africa.

I have read and agree to the privacy policy

THE DESIGN LIST