When co-founders Matt Jung and Chip George were just two students at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, they had a problem: an inadequate, uncomfortable old beanbag with a penchant for bruised tailbones. With a free afternoon on their hands, they decided to give the bag a little pick-me-up. They quickly surveyed their surroundings and found a heap of foam mattress pads. Bingo! The two began shredding these pads like a term paper they never wanted found. Then, they stuffed the pieces into the old bag. Two hours, some liquid refreshments and handfuls of shredded pads later, the beanbag was back to new and – more importantly – an idea was born: The Fuf.

Matt and Chip then looked around and recognized something they had learned in Econ 101: a market. Universities around the state were filled with prospective customers eager for an affordable, durable and comfortable place to lounge. It took some more shredding, some stitching and an occasional missed class (sorry, Mom!), but soon the Fuf could be found underneath college kids across Michigan.

Exhausted from non-stop campus trips, the two then decided to test a sales method that didn’t rely on “trunk sales.” With a little convincing, the General Manager of a local Meijer store agreed to purchase 50 Fufs. To everyone’s surprise, they sold out in just 8 days. The next batch? Gone in 12. Recognizing a true opportunity, Meijer ordered 1,200 more Fufs, which brought the chair into stores statewide. After a few celebratory libations, Matt and Chip got back to work to meet the growing demand.

Millions of units later, they haven’t stopped yet.