Bean bags used for lounge furniture in the 1970s are once again in style. The original ones meant to be used as floor furniture were typically made of leather and were filled with polystyrene beads, thermocol pellets and shredded poly-foams later. The item was first introduced in Italy in the 1960s. These were mass-produced and crafted from cheaper materials with less-than-optimal materials.

In North America, Europe and elsewhere, the chair or lounge floor pillow became groovy in the '70s. These early versions tended to fall apart easily and were a mess when the outer seams ripped and let out the fill material. Some of the fabrics that covered the bags at that time were fake fur, faux leather, velvet, corduroy, and canvas. Some manufacturers started making finer bean chairs and floor loungers that had an inner covering to hold all the filling in place in case the outer material burst.

Today's version of this vintage lounger tends to be made better with double-stitched seams and thicker outer fabric available in a wide array of materials and colors. You can find almost any color and material to blend in with almost every interior design theme. The filling these days tends to be memory foam or shredded foam along with newer versions of plastic or other type of "bean-like" filler which is like Styrofoam. These loungers should not be used for children under 3 though, as they could be suffocated and/or could choke if the filling spills out.

Many bean chairs now have removable covers that can be unzipped and washed when needed. Soft suedes and authentic leathers, microfiber and corduroy are still used in better models. Velvet, faux and vegan leathers and fur may also be found. There are bean-like floor loungers designed for gaming and watching television. These come in many sizes, and the lounger is often fashioned into small sofas, low-to-floor chairs, as a bed topper, in longer body pillows and often come with a footstool if desired.

Make sure to consider how many people will use the bean bag before shopping. Some are large enough for a couple, and others are meant for younger children over age 3 or supervised. Each manufacturer will have weight limits, fill material listed and care instructions on their shopping guides or websites.