Recall: Bean Bag Chairs Recalled by 5 Manufacturers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Media Relations

July 7, 1995

(301) 504-7908

Release # 95-142

 

CPSC And Five Manufacturers Recall Bean Bag Chairs

WASHINGTON, D.C.- As part of its ongoing investigation of zippered bean bag chairs that may present a suffocation hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and five additional bean bag chair manufacturers announced today the voluntary recall of approximately 142,000 more zippered bean bag chairs.

CPSC's ongoing investigation has included recalls and repair programs implemented by ten other bean bag chair manufacturers. Previous recalls have affected over 12 million bean bag chairs.

CPSC is aware of 5 deaths from suffocation and at least 27 cases where children recovered from their injuries involving zippered bean bag chairs. The children who died unzipped the bean bag chairs, crawled inside, inhaled and ingested the small pellets of foam filling. In other cases children choked while playing with pellets from unzipped bean bag chairs which clogged their mouths and noses. None of these deaths and incidents involve bean bag chairs manufactured by the firms listed below.

The following bean bag chair manufacturers are participating in this voluntary recall:

Manufacturer Dates sold

B.A.T.
Irving, TX
(214) 986-4413
LIC No. TX 004408 on chair label

1991 thru January 1995

Golden Needle Co.
Ft. Worth, TX
(800) 569-0801

1991 thru March 1995

Holbrook-Patterson, Inc.
Angola, IN

1989 thru March 1995

Lazy Bean
San Francisco, CA
(415) 957-9502

1993 thru March 1995

Lewco Corp.
Stamford, CT
(800) 867-8857

After March 1993
only at Toys'R' Us


These manufacturer's bean bag chairs were sold through small retail specialty shops, catalogs, and educational supply companies. Consumers should check the bean bag chair's label identifying the manufacturer by name or LIC. number and call the company's number listed above to receive instructions for repairing their bean bag chair.

Any manufacturer's zippered bean bag chair that freely opens should be taken away from children IMMEDIATELY. Consumers should be aware that bean bag chairs manufactured with a small, T-shaped plastic tab attached to the zipper head are in need of repair. This recall does not affect bean bag chairs that have been retrofitted to prevent children from freely opening them. Consumers who are not sure whether their bean bag chairs are included in this recall or need help identifying their bean bag's manufacturer should call CPSC's toll-free hotline at (800) 638-2772 for assistance.