How do Bean Bags Work? – Complete Guide to Bean Bags


Since ancient times people have done experiments to make their life comfortable. As a result, the most innovative things were born. 

Decades ago, our grandparents used wooden chairs for sitting. They design them with various patterns to get support for different postures. 

Not only past, but these days also people use different wooden and plastic chairs to fulfill their requirements. 

But there is a question about people’s satisfaction. That’s why they innovate super comfy furniture, namely bean bags. 

Every piece of furniture holds our body weights and gives us space to sit. But rather than a traditional chair, people love to sit on bean bags. It hasn’t a specific age range. Kids, adults, and grand personas are highly addicted to this chair. 

What is the secret? Do you have any idea? 

So, this is time to explore these secrets. After a few minutes, you may know all information about how bean bags work. Go ahead! 

how do bean bags work

Table of Contents

Properties of Bean Bags

Bean bags have different kinds of properties. Some of these properties are unique for a bean bag. 

A Bean bag is a sac filled with different kinds of fillers. There are hundreds of bean bag types in the market. 

Their properties mainly differentiate with three factors. Those are;

  • Fabric type
  • Filler type 
  • Bean bag shape

Bean bag achieves this super success because of one unique feature. That is the way how bean bag works with a user’s body. 

If I explain this further, the bean bag has a unique ability to adjust for user body posture and shape. Isn’t it fantastic?

Because of this excellent feature, it has become a piece of trending furniture worldwide. Indeed, you may have a problem like how the bean bag adjusts with the user’s body shape? And how does this adjustable seat give a super comfy feel to the consumer?  

So, let’s check why?

How do Bean Bag Fillers work?

Adjust with Body Postures

Ergonomics is a trending topic these days. Do you ever experience ergonomics chairs?

These chairs have adjustable seats, armrest, headrest, and footrest. So, you can customize these features according to your body shape. Because of that, when you sit there, you will feel better. 

However, bean bags can also fulfill customer requirements like this ergonomics chair. 

Its fillers play a significant role in adjusting body postures.

How does it happen? 

Generally, bean bags are filled with 2/3 of the fillers of their volume. So, There is 1/3 of free space in a bean bag. 

That is the crucial factor that helps to adjust the bean bag with the user’s body shape. This free space provides space to sit. 

Moreover, shredded memory foam, expanded beads, cotton is widely used bean bag filler types. Rather than them, rice, sand, pebbles, and hay are also used as natural fillers. 

Expanded Polystyrene Balls, Rice, and Sand

As an example, think of your bean bag filled with EPS balls. When you sit there, these EPS balls spread to the free spaces of the bean bag. It is the crucial function that facilitates bean bag reshape. 

Beans’ small size helps to scatter on the bean bag quickly. It gives more comfort to the user.

Rice also works with the same theory. All they disperse into the free spaces while adjusting the user’s posture. 

Here, sand has a lot of space. So, when you sit there, these spaces get compact and adjust with your body shape. That’s how is it works. 

Can you sit in the same posture for a long time? I know it is not practical. Every minute we change our postures consciously and unconsciously. 

The best thing is bean bag sensitive to every single motion of our body. It adjusts automatically with our body shape. This is passive work.

However, rather than these fillers, shredded memory foam also gives a super comfy feel to us! 

Shredded Memory Foam

Generally, shredded memory foam has a porous structure. Thus, these pores get compact and adjust with your posture when you sit there. However, now you think your sofa also does the same task.

But here one thing is different than a sofa. The sofa has one single memory foam. But here, manufacturers use shredded memory foam to fill bean bags. 

Therefore, other than compact, shredded memory form can scatter into the free spaces. This is how it gives a super fantastic sitting experience to users.

Moreover, the porous structure can retain our body temperature for a long time. Hence, the bean bag filled with shredded memory foam is ideal for winter. It will keep you warm!

Inflatable Bean Bags

No particular filler type is used to make inflatable bean bags. Atmospheric air is the only filler type. Here you can fill this bean bag according to your preference. 

But if you exceed the limit, you may not feel the same comfort as before because the air can create pressure in a bean bag. So, if you fill a huge amount of air, you will feel tension.

Due to that, the user does not sink into the bean bag. They may bounce on the bean bag. Then, users feel uncomfortable sitting on a highly inflated bean bag. 

So, it is vital to fill enough air into the inflated bean bag.

Pool Bean Bags

Pool bean bags lay on upthrust phenomena. So, if your bean bag has enough volume, that can float you on the pool. 

But if you try to use a toddler’s pool bean bag, it will not be successful. Why?

The toddler’s bean bags are prepared to match for kid’s body weight. So, when adults sit there, a pool bean bag cannot tolerate that much weight. As a result, upthrust balance will be lost and, you may sink in the pool. 

So, do not try to go over the science! Protect your life!

Reduce Pressure Spots

Did you continuously sit on a traditional chair for hours? Then you may know how hard is it. 

Usually, when you sit on a wooden chair, some parts of your back directly touch the seat. Over time, you may feel pain in these areas. Because all bodyweight, bear with these spots. 

But when you sit on the bean bag, it adjusts with your body shape. Then, a few spots do not need to bear your body weight. It will distribute through many areas. Because of that, your back may not feel colossal pain. 

Bean Bag Cover

Bean bag covers are made with different fabrics such as suede, cotton, linen, and vinyl. Moreover, some manufacturers use synthetic and natural leather to make sac covers. 

However, all these fabrics are super flexible. Also, no one uses any rigid structures to maintain bean bags shape. It is the most important thing. 

Because of that, your body does not want to adjust according to chair shape. Let the chair adjust according to your body shape!

As I mentioned above, manufacturers fill bean bags 2/3 of their volume from fillers. Because of that, it will provide enough space to sit you. On the other hand, a loose sac lets fillers move freely. 

However, some bean bags deviate a bit from this phenomenon. How about your feelings about the leather bean bags? Is it the same as other types of bean bags? 

Typically leather covers are not flexible like other fabric covers. Because of that, leather bean bags have low flexibility and resist changing their shape. 

So, as a result, leather bean bags do not give the same comfy feel as other bean bags! 

Final Words

Most people have doubts about the unique features of bean bags. Moreover, they want to check how this bean bag works and how it affects their health. So, this article is mainly based on how bean bag works. I hope now you have a better idea about that! 

Sarah Williams

I’m Sarah Williams. A true fan of Bean Bag Chairs. The story of Bean Bags Expert goes to beginning of 2016. At the mid of 2016, I have planned the web site and bought this domain. Slowly this grew up like a little kid.

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