Known by many names, the egg chair remains an iconic piece of furniture loved by people across the world. We use them indoors and outdoors, across countries and cultures, making their universal appeal an attractive market asset. And as research indicates, egg chairs are here to stay.
But what should buyers look for when hunting for the perfect egg chair? Find the answers to this and other questions to help guide your inventory and impress your customers for the year ahead.
Table of Contents
Overview of the global egg chair market
Selecting egg chairs for customers
A diverse target market
Summary of insights
Overview of the global egg chair market
Research shows the global egg chair market value was US $459.74 million in 2022. With sales increasing at a healthy compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7%, this value is forecast to reach US $772.38 million by 2030. Positive global growth is always a good sign for retailers.
Google Ads data
Between February 2023 and December 2023, searches for egg chairs have ranged from lows of 201,000 a month to highs of 368,000, proving a steady interest in this type of furniture. Data from Google Ads clearly shows how keyword choices impact search volumes. In the chart above, “egg chair” ranks far ahead of the others in popularity for average monthly searches. Sellers and buyers use this information to effectively advertise their products and gain the most exposure possible.
Market forces
With disposal incomes improving worldwide, customers are spoiling themselves with new furniture or paying interior designers to upgrade their living spaces. Egg chairs are one style that draws attention due to their nostalgic appeal, reminding customers of a carefree lifestyle from the past.
Equally, younger generations enjoy the authenticity of egg pod chairs because of their casual yet cozy comfort and unusual visual appearance. Besides, interior designers and homeowners want statement pieces indoors or outdoors that align with their vision of a comfortable quality of life.
Selecting egg chairs for customers
Identifying an original egg chair
Arne Jacobsen was the first to design the iconic egg chair for the SAS Royal Copenhagen Hotel in Denmark in 1958. Although some designers believed that he applied many elements of Eero Saarinen’s womb chair, his egg chair design was unique. Due to its illustrious past, identifying the original egg chair today is essential to distinguishing it from copies. And besides the cost of egg chairs and matching footstools being in the range of USD 10.000 to USD 36.800 to highlight their authenticity, these chairs have labels to help identify their originality.
The Fritz Hansen company labeled its mid-century egg chairs with “Made in Denmark by Fritz Hausen” from 1958 to 2005. This label is often seen on the cylinder beneath the seat, with four figures to show the production date. If not in this location, an FH Made in Denmark stamp on the leather proves that the chair is unique.
For chairs made between 2006 and 2010, a red label with the Republic of Fritz Hansen on the fabric indicates their origins. In 2010, the tag color changed to brown, still with the inimitable Republic of Fritz Hansen logo.
Other identifiers of an original include the chair’s measurements (43” high, close to 34” wide, and 31” depth). Also, the stitching on these chairs is wavy, and the leather egg chairs do not have back seams because the company only uses two pieces of leather to stretch over the molded egg-shaped foam.
Since 1958, the original egg chair has continued to morph into many design styles with various names. These include the swing, hanging swing, pod, bubble, scoop, and cheap egg chairs, all of which buyers should note when placing orders.
Numerous design styles
Egg chair styles have morphed into numerous shapes. Among these is the hanging swing chair attached to a room’s ceiling. This design style includes free-standing hanging egg chairs with frames or stands that are perfect on the patio or front porch.
Most of these designs replicate a half-egg, half-moon, or womb shape and can be basic frames with cushions or upholstered. Examples of these designs are visible throughout this article, starting with the original egg-shaped chair, so buyers can tell them apart.
Because these chairs are lightweight and have a fairly unstable shape, they can easily fall over if the person is not cautious about sitting and rising from them. However, all egg chairs offer a comforting cocooning effect, which enhances their popularity.
Assorted materials
The original egg chair uses sculptured polyurethane foam, upholstered with leather or fabric. The swivel chair base has four legs and feet made from satin polished aluminum or abrasion-resistant chromed steel. Copies use padded foam on top of the sculpted frame, but the fabric is often glued to this foam rather than molded around it.
Modified egg chair frames are manufactured from durable, long-lasting polypropylene plastic, fiberglass, and other synthetic fibers. Alternatively, manufacturers create a metal frame for the hanging chair or use natural materials like rattan, bamboo, and wood, depending on the egg chair design. Custom orders for soft hammock chair cushions and other egg pod chair styles include family-friendly fabrics to go with other interior design products.
A diverse target market
Because there are so many versions of the egg chair, the prices range from lows of US $3.90 for large bulk orders to over US $1,000 for higher-end chairs. Because of this characteristic, buyers must choose which markets to serve. Depending on these decisions, the design and material of the egg chair will also make a significant difference to the cost and the end user.
Summary of insights
Egg chairs come in delightful designs for indoor and outdoor use. However, buyers should know that the original egg chair is only available from registered dealers and is identifiable by specific features. Notwithstanding these facts, customers love egg chairs in their multiple forms and materials.
Buyers can use all of this information to build stock from the Alibaba.com showroom that aligns with their customer preferences, ensuring a wide range of custom orders for homes and businesses.
