Outdoor Egg Chairs: Materials, Weight Limits & Buying Guide

Updated October 2026 · About a 10-minute read

We make hanging and freestanding egg chairs at Kingmake Outdoor, a factory in Foshan that has been building outdoor seating for hotels, distributors and furniture brands since 2008. This guide is written for people who buy egg chairs in volume, such as retail buyers, importers and resort procurement teams. The questions, though, are the same ones homeowners ask: what the chairs are made of, how much weight they hold, and whether they can stay outside all year.

What is an egg chair?

The original Egg chair was designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for the SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, so it began life as hotel furniture. A year later, Nanna and Jørgen Ditzel designed a hanging wicker version, and that's the ancestor of almost every outdoor egg chair sold today.

Today the term covers any seat with a tall, rounded shell that wraps around the sitter. The shell gives a sense of privacy and blocks some wind, which is the main reason people choose one over a regular lounge chair. Outdoor versions swap the upholstered fiberglass of the original for a woven shell that drains water and dries quickly.

Types of outdoor egg chairs

Hanging egg chair with stand

This is the best-selling format. The basket hangs from a C-shaped or arched stand on a chain or swivel hook. It doesn't need a beam or ceiling, so it suits rented homes, balconies and pool decks where you can't drill. The trade-off is footprint: the stand base is usually wider than the chair, and you need clearance for the swing.

Ceiling- or pergola-hung egg chair

Without a stand the chair takes up less floor space and looks lighter. The weight capacity, however, now depends on the beam and the anchor rather than on the furniture. For hospitality projects, we recommend having a structural engineer sign off on the mounting point before installation.

Freestanding and swivel egg chairs

These sit on legs or a pedestal base instead of hanging. A swivel egg chair has a rotating base, and a rocking version uses curved runners. They're steadier to get in and out of, which matters for older guests, and they work better around dining or fire-pit areas where a swinging seat would bump into tables.

Double egg chairs

Two-seater baskets are wider and need a heavier stand. They're popular with honeymoon resorts and couples-focused villas. A typical example is our aluminum woven double swing chair. When ordering replacement cushions for a double egg chair, measure the inside of the basket rather than relying on the listed outer width.

What materials are outdoor egg chairs made of?

An egg chair has three parts: the frame and stand, the woven shell, and the cushion. Each one fails in a different way, so it's worth judging them separately.

Frame and stand

Powder-coated steel is what most low-priced retail chairs use. It's strong and cheap, but once the coating chips, rust spreads from the inside of the tube, and you'll usually first notice it at the hook and the base welds. Powder-coated aluminum costs more but doesn't rust, which is why we use it for coastal and hotel projects. On our line, frames are TIG-welded and then pre-treated before coating. If you need a longer warranty, an Austrian TIGER powder coat is available as an upgrade from standard coating.

Woven shell

"Rattan" on a product listing rarely means natural rattan, which breaks down quickly outdoors. It usually means PE or PVC wicker, and the difference matters. Good HDPE rattan stays flexible in cold weather and holds its color, while cheap PE/PVC blends turn chalky and brittle after a couple of summers. Premium fibers such as REHAU cost more but carry longer warranties.

Olefin rope (the thick, soft braided look) has become the hotel favorite because it feels softer against skin and looks less "garden centre." PP rope and textilene mesh appear on cheaper folding baskets. They're light and fine for occasional home use, but they sag faster under daily commercial use.

Cushions and fabric

The cushion is usually the first thing to fail. Look for quick-dry (reticulated) foam, which lets water run straight through, rather than standard upholstery foam that soaks it up like a sponge. Foam density of around 35–40 kg/m³ holds its shape under repeated use. For fabric, polyester is the budget option, olefin is the mid-range choice, and solution-dyed acrylic such as Sunbrella resists fading best. If you're comparing egg chair cushions for comfort and longevity, the fabric decides how long they look good, and the foam decides how long they feel good.

You can compare these frame and weave combinations across our hanging and egg swing chair range.

How much weight can an egg chair hold?

Most single egg chairs sold through big UK retailers are rated at 120–150 kg. US listings commonly say 250–300 lb. Heavier-duty doubles and triples go well beyond that. Our swing chairs are rated at 200 kg per seat, and the suspension system is engineered to carry 250 kg.

The number on the box tells you less than you'd think. Capacity is limited by the weakest point, and on an egg chair that's usually one of these:

• the hook and the weld where the arm meets the stand

• the stand's base shape (a wide cross or round base resists tipping better than a narrow C-foot)

• the chain or swivel and the spring, if one is fitted

• the top ring of the basket, where the weave carries the whole load

If you're buying for a hotel or reselling under your own brand, ask the supplier how the rating was tested. A static load test isn't enough. You also want repeated-load (fatigue) testing on the hook and stand, ideally to EN 581 for outdoor seating if you sell in Europe. A chair that holds 150 kg once may not hold 100 kg swung ten thousand times.

Can you leave an egg chair outside?

Yes, the frame and shell can stay outside if they're made of the right materials: aluminum or well-coated steel, plus HDPE rattan or olefin rope. The cushions shouldn't stay out unprotected, even "weatherproof" ones. Water gets into the zips and seams, and a wet cushion left in a closed basket is the fastest way to get mildew.

How to protect an egg chair from rain and sun

• Bring cushions in overnight in wet weather, or store them in a vented deck box.

• After heavy rain, stand cushions on their edge so they drain.

• Rinse salt and chlorine off frames every week near the sea or a pool. Salt is what breaks down the coating.

• Check the hook, chain and stand bolts at the start and end of each season.

• Over winter, put on a breathable cover, or store the basket indoors if it detaches.

For cushion stains and mildew, our guide on how to clean outdoor cushions covers the methods that won't strip the fabric's water-repellent finish.

Choosing an egg chair cover

A good cover is breathable, has air vents near the top, and has a drawstring or toggle at the hem so wind can't lift it. To get the size right, measure the full height including the stand and the widest point of the basket, then add 5–10 cm to each. A cover that's too tight wears through on the top of the stand. A cover that's too loose acts like a sail. We make fitted furniture covers to the same dimensions as our chairs, which takes the guesswork out of ordering for hotel projects.

Are egg chairs comfortable? The honest downsides

For reading, napping or sitting cross-legged, most people find them very comfortable, provided the cushion is thick enough (look for 10 cm or more). Egg chairs do have drawbacks, though, and buyers should plan around them:

• Floor space. A hanging chair with a stand takes up roughly as much floor as a small lounge set, but seats only one person.

• Getting in and out. A moving seat can be awkward for elderly or less mobile guests. Freestanding models solve this.

• Back support. The rounded back doesn't give much lumbar support. A separate head pillow and lumbar cushion help.

• Cushion upkeep. Cushions need regular care, which is the main hidden cost for hotels.

• Shipping volume. Assembled baskets are bulky, so packaging design has a big effect on landed cost (more on that below).

Are they worth it? For retailers, yes: egg chairs sell on looks, and they lift the perceived value of a whole outdoor chair display. For hotels, they work best as a few feature pieces in quiet corners, not as the main seating.

Why are some egg chairs so expensive?

Two egg chairs can look the same in a photo and differ in price by three or four times. Almost all of that gap comes from five things:

1. Frame metal: aluminum versus steel, and the wall thickness of the tube.

2. Weave fiber: branded HDPE or olefin rope versus generic PE/PP.

3. Labor: a hand-woven basket takes hours of skilled weaving, and tighter, more even weaves take longer.

4. Finish and fabric: premium powder coat and Sunbrella fabric each carry longer warranties, and cost more.

5. Packaging: a folding or knock-down basket packs far tighter in a container than a fixed one, which cuts freight cost per unit.

To compare price, build quality and finish between premium egg chairs, ask for a sample and check three things: the welds at the hook (smooth and continuous, no blobs or gaps), the weave tension (press the top ring, it shouldn't flex much), and the cushion zip (it should be heavy-duty and ideally hidden on the underside).

Sourcing egg chairs in volume: a buyer's checklist

If you're a retailer, importer or hotel group placing a bulk order, these are the questions that separate a reliable outdoor furniture supplier from a trading company reselling someone else's stock:

Before you order

• Is the factory doing the welding, coating and weaving itself, or subcontracting it?

• What load and fatigue tests have been done on this model, and can you see the report?

• What are the salt-spray and UV test results for the coating and the weave?

• Is fire-retardant foam available? Many hotel contracts in the UK and US require it.

• How is the warranty split between frame, weave and fabric?

Customization and lead times

Most of our egg chair orders involve some customization: rope color, cushion fabric, basket size or a private-label woven tag (MOQ 1,000 pcs for labels). Standard production starts from 30 days. You can see how a design moves from drawing to sample on our customization page, and how frames are checked before packing in our quality control process.

White and metallic rattan finishes carry a 2-year warranty even with REHAU fiber.

Where egg chairs work best in hotels and resorts

In our project work, egg chairs earn their place in a few spots: the quiet end of a pool deck, rooftop corners with a view, and garden areas just off the main terrace. Placed in pairs with a small side table, they become a spot guests book or ask for by name. Avoid busy walkways, where a swinging basket gets bumped, and areas without shade, where an unshaded cushion can get uncomfortably hot by midday.

If you're planning a larger outdoor area, it usually works better to choose egg chairs alongside the rest of the patio furniture, so frame colors and rope tones match across sofas, loungers and dining sets. Our article on commercial outdoor swing chairs goes into layout and guest flow in more detail, and you can see finished installations on our projects page.

Frequently asked questions

Can outdoor egg chairs be used indoors?

Yes. Outdoor materials work fine in conservatories, lobbies and bedrooms. The reverse isn't true: an indoor egg chair with natural wicker or a standard fabric cushion won't last outside.

How much space does an egg chair need?

Allow about 1.5 × 1.5 m of floor space for a single hanging chair with a stand, plus room for it to swing. A double needs roughly 2 m of width.

How do I clean an egg chair?

Use mild soapy water and a soft brush on the frame and weave, then rinse well. Don't use a pressure washer, since it forces water into the frame tubes and can loosen the weave. Take cushion covers off and wash them on a gentle cycle, then air-dry them.

Which egg chair materials resist weathering and fading best?

Powder-coated aluminum for the frame, HDPE rattan or olefin rope for the shell, and solution-dyed acrylic fabric over quick-dry foam for the cushion. That combination handles sun, rain and salt air better than anything else currently on the market.

What is the minimum order for custom egg chairs?

It depends on how far the design differs from our existing models. Color and fabric changes on a current model are much easier than a new basket shape. Our OEM service page explains how private-label orders work.