Zanotta's Sacco: the 1968 pear-shaped beanbag and its descendants

A sack of polystyrene beads that moulds itself to the body: in 1968 three young men from Turin, Piero Gatti, Cesare Paolini and Franco Teodoro, brought Zanotta a seat with no shape at all. The Sacco became the first pear-shaped pouf in history, and every beanbag sold since descends from it.

Zanotta, the publisher of the shapeless

Zanotta has produced the Sacco since 1968 and still keeps it in the catalogue, in fabric, leather or removable canvas, with the label stitched inside. The filling is a blend of calibrated beads, measured so the seat holds a teardrop shape when you stand up, rather than spreading into a puddle.

What sets the original apart

The shape first: the Sacco is a tall teardrop, with a back that rises and a point, not a soft ball. The cover: heavy canvas or full-grain leather, double stitching. The density: the original is firm, it supports the shoulders; the copy sags and lets the beads ride up. Finally the Zanotta label, the only marking possible on an object with no structure.

Price and an honest verdict

New, a Sacco sits between €700 and €1,200 depending on the cover. An honest copy can be found between €40 and €150. It has to be said: on this model, the copy does the job. Comfort depends above all on the filling, which can be topped up. The Sacco earns its place for the signed piece, for leather that ages well, or for vintage in period fabric, between €200 and €500.

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