Last updated on August 19th, 2022 at 11:37 pm
A long time ago, a reader emailed me asking about bean bag chairs and what they are filled with. At the time I didn’t have a good answer for her. It seemed that most were filled with either polystyrene or flame retardant treated foam bits** See NOTE below **. And that was just the inside. But recently I was introduced to a line of bean bag loungers made for kids that solves the problem.
EnviroKid specializes in stuffed pillows, nap mats and bean bag loungers that are safe for kids (and everyone else). The mats and loungers are filled with olefin foam beads (instead of polystyrene) which provide a cushiony feel and mold to your child’s body. In fact when I first received the test sample I was dismayed at the sight of it. It had molded itself to the shape of the box. But after a little rough and tumble with the boys is was a smushy and more flat pillow that they enjoy laying on. The outer cover is made of EnviroLeather which is a PVC-Free Synthetic Leather. What I like about it is that it’s easy to clean and wipe off. My youngest spilled water on it, wiped up no problem. Snack crumb slide right off. (My carpet on the other hand has not stood up to the kids as well). EnviroLeather is free of PVC, pthalates, and heavy metals and is made with recycled and renewable content. I can feel better about that.
They come in a Cushion size, a Nap Mat and a Bean Bag Lounger which is the largest. My kids have been laying around on the Nap Mat for a few weeks and they actually fight over who gets to lay on it. It did seem a bit stiff at first but once we used it made more sense. I do wish they had a removable fabric cover so that it doesn’t feel cold when you use it but that’s just splitting hairs at that point. I think it could stand to be filled more, but perhaps that detracts from it’s ability to mold to the child. They do seem pretty comfy on it.
*NOTE: It has come to my attention that indeed these do employ the use of halogen flame retardants on the interior beads. Therefore I need to retract my endorsement of the product and shut down the giveaway (I’ll make it up to those who entered with another one). My apologies for this oversight. I make mistakes sometimes, I’m human. But I am NOT afraid to admit it when I do. I hope this hasn’t caused anyone any inconveniences. – Kathy