Plastic resurrection: The Casalino chair by Alexander Begge

You know how it is when mothers and their young children dress in clothing made with the same fabric and design? Though I don’t think I would do that myself, seeing other people doing it makes me smile. They look so cute, the babies in miniature versions of their parents’ attire. Seeing the Casalino chairs by Alexander Begge sort of reminds me of this. They are available in adult and kiddy versions, identical in all aspects except for the size.

These plastic chairs were very popular during the 1970s then were phased out for some reason in the 1980s. The folks over at the Dutch company Casala got it in their minds to bring the chairs back into production just this year, so a hunt was launched for the original molds. It turned out that the molds were in Antalya, Greece, though how they came to end up being there is still somewhat of a mystery.

People who are old enough to remember how popular the Casalino chairs decades ago are apparently very excited over their re-introduction. They say the hard plastic used back then was much better than much of what is used in today’s designs. Despite the shell’s stiffness, they also state that it’s actually very comfortable to use.

The chair’s design is eye-catching enough to attract attention, but not too radical that it can’t be matched with contract café tables. There are other reasons why it would be useful in a commercial setting. It is stackable, so it’s space-efficient and easy to store and transport. It’s anti-static, so it’s more comfortable to sit on (the padded seat adds to this too). It’s weather-resistant, making it suitable for outdoor use. And if your café has a sizable number of baby boomer customers, it could bring on a wave of nostalgia – helping add to the impression that your establishment makes on them.