One type of outdoor furniture that has become popular is a sling style chair. Typically, a sling style chair includes a sheet or sheets held in tension between two longitudinal bars. The bars are typically held apart by a number of external braces.
Because the sheet or sheets are held in tension and also must bear the weight of the person sitting on the chair, only certain types of material can be used as the sheet or sheets on a sling style chair. These materials are known as “slingable” materials. Slingable materials are load-bearing materials that have sufficient strength to withstand the forces exerted by a person sitting on the chair as well as sufficient resiliency to withstand the tension placed on the material due to the chair's construction. Further, a slingable material is able to withstand the force of a person repeatedly sitting on the chair over a long period of time without sagging or drooping.
Due to the strength and resiliency of slingable materials, slingable materials typically do not readily accept patterns and dyes. Certain materials, such as acrylic, which readily accept patterns and/or dyes of vibrant colors, are non-slingable materials which are not typically utilized in the construction of a sling style chair. Because of the patterns and/or color, many consumers would prefer to have a sling style chair utilizing non-slingable materials. In tension, non-slingable materials do not withstand the forces on the material and are susceptible to tearing, stretching. Over time a non-slingable material will begin to sag which is detrimental to the appearance and comfortability of the chair.