[1] This orientation is often mistakenly reversed, resulting in less stability for the upper chair.
[citation needed] The cushion of the chair is typically thick velveteen material filled with cotton fluff similar to that of a futon.
In traditional papasans, the cushion can be removed and used outside of the sturdy frame.
The papasan chair gained popularity in the west when American World War II veterans brought them home from Asia, where they had been used in the Philippines and Japan for centuries.
[2] The mamasan chair is a double-seating version, and was introduced to the western world in the 1950s.