Bean Bags – Comfortable and Stylish Frameless Furniture Made in Moldova

Bean bags is the name for modern chairs, filled with Styrofoam balls and designed to take the shape of your body.

Thanks to the Italians

The bean bag represents a popular type of frameless furniture, which is relatively new. The know-how was showed for the first time in Paris in 1969. It was designed by three Italians from Genoa. At first is seemed to be a funny invention, which, apparently, will never last for a long time on the market. Per contra, the European customers appreciated the bean bag chairs, filled with Styrofoam balls. Seven years ago the invention appeared in Moldova. The company that succeeded first to produce these chairs was Ticina Ghenrieta. Afterwards there have come more manufacturers on the local market, among which are: Amore Sacco, Relaxtime and a young, but very active Because. The last one appeared three years ago, but it already tries to enter the USA market.

The assortment is constantly expending

The Ticina Ghenrieta Company is involved in the internal market, as it is considered to be insufficiently mastered. “We started from the leatherette bag chairs, which have the pear shape”, says the sales manager of Ticina Ghenrieta Alla Caminscaia. “We continued with the production of the ball bags, tablets for children, sunbeds and small footstools”. Those are bought together with bean bags: you can seat on the chair and put your feet on the pouf.

The latest good is the bolid armchair, which resembles a car seat. But the poufs, balls and bolids have their shape already set. The bean bag, per contra, can take the form of the human’s body, as it contains the Styrofoam balls. So, a person can not only seat on this chair, but also easily lay on it. The “pliability” the bean bag has is good for the spine. By the way, these chairs are recommended for pregnant women, especially in the last months of their gravidity.

What kind of Styrofoam the bean bags require?

The company uses the alimentary Styrofoam, which is very qualitative, doesn’t get wet and doesn’t cause allergy. Thus, it is environmentally friendly.

Bean bags are getting popular

Three years ago the bean bags were unusual for Moldavian customers. The director of the active Because Company Andrei Rudoi was saying, that only young people were buying this type of furniture. “Today, the bean bags became more popular and are purchased by all age categories”, - explains Alla Caminscaia. And indeed, during the time (no more than half hour) the maindin.md reporter was talking with Alla Caminscaia in the commercial center “Elat” two young moms bought bean bags for their kids. Then, three primary school girls furtively and giggling tried, one by one, to sit on one of the exposed bean bags. “We allow them to do this”, said Alla Caminscaia.

Who usually buys bean bags?

Young people usually buy ball chairs. It is a perfect gift for a football fan. They are made either in classic white and black colors, or in motley tones. The footstools are also very bright and colorful and are made of square pieces of material. Thereby, they look like check board cookies and so they are called. The poufs are round like big tablets and are usually produced only according to individual orders, as there are few customers that have enough room space for a big footstool.

The poufs are made during 1-2 days after the order is received. The manufacturer uses original colors, which “will match the interior design”. In other cases, the poufs are made of one bright color. In this case, the footstool appears as a catchy spot in the monochromatic room.

The frameless furniture became popular among elderly people as well. It is perfectly useful for the tired spine. In some way, the bean bags were invented for the countryside – you can place it in the country house or outside. The biggest bean bag weights no more than 4 kilograms and even a small child can lift it. The “pear” chairs have also special handles on their tops, which help to carry them.

Along with private persons, the bean bags are also purchased by pizzerias – for children’s rooms, banks – for promo actions and other similar events.

What material is used?

“We were initially using colored leatherette for our bean bags”, explains Alla Caminscaia. “Later, the products made of suede appeared, under the name Pinto. The latest furniture – Neo – are the low-cost bean bags made of textile, for young people or families. These textile “bags” cost 750 lei. The leatherette bean bag costs 1000 lei”.

It's more comfortable with the internal bags

The company produces also internal bags, especially for the textile and suede bean bags, poufs, «balls», tablets and bolids. It's more comfortable with them. The bag is filled with the Styrofoam balls, and then it's covered with textile or suede material. It's much easier to have the leatherette bag, as any splotch on its surface can be wiped with a wet sponge. The textile and suede ones have to be washed.

The Styrofoam balls can be changed

To change the Styrofoam balls, you have open the small zipper, placed on the bean bag's bottom. It is sewed within the material, so it's hard to find it. In this way, the owner will be sure, that small kids will never open it accidentally. The child will try, sooner or later, to unzip the bag, as he has to find out, what it has inside. But in this case, the whole room will be littered with Styrofoam balls. No way, only an adult can change the balls. And even if the bean bag withstands the weight of 100 kilograms, in half year the balls will start to rumple.

Thereby, the bean bags are usually sold with additional plastic bags with foam balls. It costs only 100 lei. The filler can be added to the already existing balls, or replace them.

The bean bags are for rent

Yes, to rent a bean bag costs 250 lei for 24 hours. If the customer wants to rent more than ten bags, the price will be lower – 200 lei. Alla Caminscaia affirms, that people usually rent 10, 20 and up to 40 bean bags, for the outdoor holiday events.