Lifetime Warranty
Trying to find the best outdoor bean bag?
They need to look good and be comfortable, but they also need to:
• Be waterproof
• UV Resistant / (fade proof)
• Mould and Mildew resistant
And the great news is, in 2019 you can have it all, and in this post I will show you how
In this post I am going to show you the choices available today and explain how custom-made furniture isn’t reserved just for the wealthy anymore.
Plus, we cover the questions to ask any manufacturer before buying an outdoor bean bag.
(If you are looking to skip ahead, please use the links below:)
Outdoor bean bags chairs
Outdoor bean bag lounges
Double outdoor bean bags & Large outdoor bean bags
Luxury outdoor bean bags – Custom Made
Pool bean bags
Outdoor bean bags – Commercial use
Outdoor bean bags – Embroidery & personalisation
Outdoor bean bag ottomans
Outdoor bean bag colours
Read this before buying any outdoor bean bag
So, lets get right into it.
Outdoor bean bags chairs
Outdoor bean bag chairs are great for gatherings.
They don’t take up a huge footprint which means you can house a few together, instead of one large bean bag.
You can also use chair bean bags with a footstool to lay back.
This creates the feeling of a deck chair, without taking up as much space when not in use.
Here are a few examples of bean bags that work well on their own:
Outdoor bean bag lounges
One benefit of using bean bags outdoors is you tend to have a little more space than inside.
This opens up further options for bigger bean bags.
Now you can mix and match oversize furniture pieces together. Just like indoor modular sofa lounges.
For instance, the Single Seater Sofa bean bag matches the same dimensions as many common lounge suites which cost thousands of dollars.
To ensure you can use then where you like, they are handmade in an outdoor fabric.
Bringing the indoors out has never been easier.
The simplicity of modular pieces means you can mix and match these three pieces together to create the perfect lounge suite.
Double outdoor bean bags & Large outdoor bean bags
Looking for something even bigger?
If you want to melt your stress away in a daybed, we create two options which may fit the bill.
The huge double day bed and the single version of the same look.
These bean bags are designed to lay back into and contain a raised head rest ‘built’ into the bean bag.
The double bean bag is also made with an internal piece of fabric from head to toe.
This ensures the bean filling is kept in separate compartments.
If one person gets up or shuffles, the other person is not disturbed.
The single day bed is the same length as the double which means they work well side by side.
Many clients replace their old deck chairs with this design below:
There are also a few other larger bean bags which are popular in any outdoor setting:
Luxury outdoor bean bags – Custom Made
Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury. - Coco Chanel
Our craftsmen have been trained in traditional furniture making. And all our bean bags are still made by hand.
This allows us to customise every bean bag for our clients.
A bespoke service means your bean bag will be unique. And with the piping option for our Sofa bean bags you can create a richness to your bean bag, framing it with a bold colour or subtle tone to reflect your style.
For an even greater touch; if you would like to match your new bean bag with matching cushions let us know as this is something we also offer.
Pool bean bags
Everyone loves a pool in the heat of summer.
And what better way to enjoy relaxing by a pool (or in one) other than doing it on a bean bag.
All of the bean bags we make can be used on water (we must stress they cannot and should not be used as flotation devices).
After you have enjoyed your time in the sun it is wise to leave the bean bags out of the pool when you are finished.
This ensures the water can easily drain out of the bean bag and you won’t have any issue with chlorine or salt water effecting the inner fabric or the bean filling itself.
Outdoor bean bags – Commercial use
Outdoor bean bags are durable by nature, however when it comes to commercial use they need to comply to stricter standards.
We provide bean bags to hospitals, day care centres, schools, universities and event companies across this great country.
And many institutions will only fit bean bags which are medical grade, fire retardant, hypoallergenic and won’t crumble if cleaned with commercial grade solutions.
Due to our bean bags being made of commercial grade fabric they are stain resistant, however we understand policies in place to wipe them down with stronger chemicals.
This won’t damage them in any way.
Below is an example of some massive bean bags we created for the City of Sydney used by our clients for an art exhibition. If you have specific questions about customised commercial bean bags, please contact us.
Outdoor bean bags – Embroidery & personalisation
All our bean bags are made to order within 2 business days.
However, if you have a few extra days for delivery and require a higher level of personalisation then matching any name, logo or design can make all the difference.
From our boat owner clients to personalised gifts for friends and family, the choice is limitless.
For a relatively inexpensive option we can match any logo to exact colours and provide a digital mock-up before a single embroidery thread is placed on the bean bags.
With over 600 colours to choose from all Pantone colours can be matched.
If you want to read up about our personalised bean bag service please do so by clicking the link.
Outdoor bean bag ottomans
Sometimes larger bean bags might not be an option for your outdoor setting so outdoor ottomans to mix and match with existing furniture can work well.
The great thing about bean bag ottomans is that they can be used as both seats and tables.
As part of our Sofa range our square ottoman bean bag shown above, can also work as an extension to create a chaise lounge.
Smaller ottomans such as a cube design work well as side tables for outdoor furniture.
And technically a footstool is only used to rest your feet on, however some clients have also fashioned a few of these together to create an intimate circle for small gatherings.
Another benefit of our circular ottoman bean bag is how it can be rested on its side to create a “egg” shape chair as a nod to the original egg chair from the 1970’s.
Outdoor bean bag colour choices
As mentioned previously, our bean bags are built for outdoor use.
They won’t crack in the sun and colours won’t fade, so the colour choice you make is completely up to you.
We like to let clients know that darker bean bags might not be the best choice though.
Much like black leather car seats on a hot day are not enjoyable to sit on.
Darker colours, such as Black, Charcoal and teal can get pretty warm in direct sunlight.
The popular choice for outdoor bean bags are to choose white (or a lighter colour) on top with a darker colour on the side only, so this won’t be an issue.
Of course, picking all one lighter colour works perfectly well.
Below are the list of colours we have on offer.
And with our Sofa Range you can combine 3 colours for a richer mix of tones.
Questions you need to ask before buying any outdoor bean bag
Many bean bags are sold as outdoor bean bags however there are a few questions we encourage you ask before buying one.
1. Is the thread used to bind bean bags together weather proof?
A lot of bean bag fabric is sold as waterproof and UV resistant, however it is worth asking if the thread used to bind each panel of the bean bags together is also weather proof.
We have had clients in the past mention that their old bean bags failed, not due to the fabric, but due to the thread itself fraying.
We stitch all our bean bags together with a Marine Grade 25 Ply Nylon thread. The same thread used on sailing ships and outdoor furnishings of large yachts.
I am also confident of this fact based on our “Tester” bean bags.
This exact bean bag (below) was one of the original prototypes made years ago.
It has remained outdoors on my deck and has never been covered, through rain, hail (literally) and sunshine.
It has had countless stains marked on it in the past and it will continue to live outside as our “beloved tester” for plenty more experiments to come.
2. What fabric is used for the bean bag cover?
The thicker the bean bag fabric, the better it tends to do against outdoor elements.
This is measured by grams per square metre (gsm) in the industry. The larger the figure the better it should perform in an outdoor setting.
For outdoor bean bags, a figure over 400gsm is recommended.
For comparison our outdoor fabric is 600gsm.
Over time UV exposure can crack materials due to the sun’s radiation. Our bean bags (Just like our original bean bag above) have UV resistant qualities built into the fabric, so this isn’t a concern.
It is worth questioning what tests other manufactures or retailers have put their bean bags through as well.
3. Will the colour fade over time?
When fabrics are not embedded with colours and just coated with a dye then they will fade over time.
UV radiation breaks apart the coloured particles in the fabric. And sunshine even through windows indoors will cause the bean bags to look “washed out”.
If you can stick to a fabric which has the colour “melted” into the fabric you will be safe.
This ensures that the bean bags look just as bright years later.
Lastly…
It also worth asking about mould and mildew resistant properties of outdoor bean bags.
As they will be exposed to rain or pool water you want to ask about their resistance to dangerous mould spores.
Once mould starts to grow anywhere it is almost impossible to prevent it from spreading further and taking over.
Fabrics which contain mould and mildew resistant compounds within the fabric are needed to prevent this from happening.
Also, it worth noting that mould loves fabrics which are made of an uneven surface, such a fabrics made of a weave.
The weave provides space for mould spores to start growing when not left in a well ventilated area.
This is the same reason mould never grows straight on a glass surface but will grow upon dust or dirt upon a glass surface.
Conclusion
Outdoor Bean Bags are a fantastic choice for life outside.
Unlike traditional furniture; outdoor bean bags are super soft, you don’t have to worry about dragging foam filled cushions on and off existing wooden frame furniture when the weather turns.
Nor do you have to worry about metal furniture being affected by rust. Or having to oil timbers anymore.
One of the greatest benefits is how easily bean bags can be moved around without breaking your back.
You can shift them indoors if you need more seats and they can blend right in.
Since our bean bags are also made for commercial use they are durable, and ready for heavy-duty wear.
Whether they are for your next big event or just so you can rest well knowing your kids will be testing safely for years to come.
We custom make every bean bag and have been backing up our bean bags up with a lifetime warranty for years.
So enjoy designing your own bean bag, by first choosing a style then have fun picking colours to match your outdoor space.
If I can help with any questions you have around outdoor bean bags please let me know.