Folding lawn chairs have long been an American summertime tradition, whether that means watching Fourth of July fireworks from a beachfront location or attending your favorite team’s tailgate event. Few activities would be complete without one of these handy portable seats!
Fredric Arnold, a WWII veteran-turned-inventor, created the modern folding lawn chair by using aluminum that had previously been used for aircraft structures.
The History of the Folding Lawn Chair
Summertime classics rarely rival the iconic folding lawn chair when it comes to summertime essentials. A product of its time, its aluminum construction was once used as airplane structural framing; after World War II suburbia saw more use of this strong yet lightweight material in building these chairs; their shape and interwoven fabric webbing took inspiration from utilitarian designs of early modernist architecture while their simple functionality resonated strongly with postwar patriotism.
Unfortunately, by the 1990s the lawn chair had lost much of its charm–and its market share. Competitors introduced nylon camp chairs that weighed less, were cheaper, and compact; yet these often rusted easily due to competition’s downward price pressures, becoming in fashion while driving down costs even further; eventually becoming obsolete with time as cost pressures forced down production costs further and outmoded designs were quickly forgotten about by consumers.
Gary Pokrandt’s family runs Lawn Chair USA, a small company which crafts traditional folding seats by hand using time-honored techniques. Their artisanal approach caught MoMA’s home department buyer’s attention; as a result, Lawn Chair USA was chosen to produce two exclusive chairs, and thus, Lawn Chair USA is leading an effort to revive these beloved folding seats once more.
Pokrandt’s grandfather owned a Georgia factory where plastic pellets are extruded into thick yarn before weaving strips that become the seating straps of his folding lawn chair. Once this webbing had been created, it was cut by machine and assembled by hand in Florida by Pokrandt himself and his staff of workers.
Over 300 years have gone into perfecting portable outdoor chairs that can be pulled out each spring to be taken to barbecues, picnics, or the beach. Though modern versions might differ slightly from what you remember from your childhood memories, they still manage to capture that feeling of summertime fun!
The Evolution of the Folding Lawn Chair
The folding lawn chair is an iconic symbol of American summer: sun, beer and barbecuing. A favorite for picnics, family gatherings, backyard barbeques, beach trips and tailgate parties as well as Fourth of July fireworks, its lightweight aluminum construction can easily fold down for easy storage – being designed by former P-38 combat pilot Fredric Arnold back in 1947! His folding design was heavily influenced by utilitarian designs from early to mid century modern period – quickly becoming a household must have!
Lawn chairs became an iconic icon following World War II due to the postwar suburban development and increased availability of affordable aluminum tubing. Though originally developed for aircraft structural framing purposes, their light yet sturdy design found favor with consumers who appreciated its practicality and minimalist aesthetic. As time progressed, manufacturers refined the designs even further and included features like arm rest cup holders to increase user comfort further.
By the 1990s, however, webbed lawn chairs had begun to lose their luster. Competitors began producing camping chairs and beach chairs that were lighter but cheaper than their metal lawn chair counterparts; their steel frames rusted while webbing frayed. Overall quality decreased.
Lawn Chair USA has emerged as a small manufacturer that’s producing classic lawn chairs in their original state – Florida! Co-owner Gary Pokrandt opened this company with his father back in 2009, producing roughly 500 lawn chairs per day with its team of 15.
Lawn Chair USA’s production process begins by loading plastic pellets into a hopper, mixing in UV protection and extruding through a large loom. Next comes cutting these strips into strips for use as chair frames before finally weaving cotton or polyester webbing for the chair’s webbing webbing – Lawn Chair USA even sells this webbing to other lawn chair companies! Their small batch production and authentic heritage caught MoMA Design Store home buyer Annie Auchincloss who collaborated with Pokrandt to design two exclusive iterations of this classic lawn chair!
The Folding Lawn Chair’s Materials
Lawn chairs must be constructed using high quality materials in order to remain sturdy and reliable, supporting weight without breaking. Therefore, it’s crucial to pay attention to the weight limit for any chair you purchase.
Most folding lawn chairs are constructed from aluminum, plastic or synthetic fibers like nylon, polyester and polypropylene; others may feature wood and wicker designs for an authentic rustic or elegant appearance in your backyard. Plastic and aluminum chairs tend to be lighter in weight compared to metal and wicker chairs.
Folding lawn chairs are typically handmade. Webbing is laid out over their aluminum frames in a crisscross pattern by hand before being checked for quality control – a labor intensive process which requires skill and precision in order to produce high-quality chairs.
Historic aluminum lawn chairs from the 1940s through 1960s have become highly collectible vintage items. Commonly seen at campouts, tailgates and other outdoor events where people want to relax comfortably while watching sports or enjoying food and drinks, these classic chairs now enjoy immense value as collectible vintage.
Though webbed aluminum lawn chairs may have fallen out of favor by the mid-1990s, some companies continue to produce them today. Lawn Chair USA stands out among these producers; Gary Pokrandt founded his small Florida company along with his family to continue producing these chairs despite competition from similar products; additionally they also offer other camping and outdoor furniture such as lounge chairs and tables.
The Folding Lawn Chair’s Design
Folding lawn chairs have long been an indispensable fixture of summer events: tailgate parties, backyard barbecues and beach hangouts alike all take advantage of them to watch Fourth of July fireworks shows or devour hot dogs on. Crafting such chairs takes fine craftsmanship and expert precision – folding chairs have long been considered essential summer seating!
Fredric Arnold was a WWII veteran turned inventor who, in 1947, refined a collapsible chair that was already widely used in schools and churches. While his original design was cruder than today’s metal folding chairs, his chair quickly gained popularity due to its affordability and usefulness; Arnold’s utilitarian approach helped define early midcentury modernism.
As modern lawn chairs come in various shapes and materials, some styles like wicker are more rustic while plastic often serves as the go-to material for comfort and durability. Some may combine multiple materials; still others boast aluminum frames powder coated for extra strength and resilience.
Most folding chairs have weight limits between 300 and 800 pounds, depending on the manufacturer and quality of materials used in them. While they’re built to withstand extended use and stacking heavy items onto them, stacking too high could result in them becoming damaged or breaking entirely – another great reason why it is wiser to purchase sturdy chairs with easy opening mechanisms than less reliable options.