"Don't sell something you would not buy yourself"
Kit Deger
Founder, Designer & Craftsman at Chair In The Air
Where It All Began
Since 1997 I set out to build the most comfortable and durable chairs and hammocks for outdoor and indoor use. I wanted to create a quality product that people could rely on, but at the same time use sustainable materials. From the time the first 'Chair in the Air' was designed back in 1997 until present day I have always had the motto "Don't sell something you would not buy yourself".
Don't sell something you would not buy yourself
Kit Deger, Chair In The Air, 1997
A Calling to Be a Hammock Maker
I'm a crafty fellow who takes pleasure in making quality relaxation products that I believe is of benefit to every person's wellbeing. From the time the first 'Chair in the Air' was designed back in 1997, I realised that I had a calling to be a hammock maker.
People have always inspired me with their positive feedback and support regarding my quality products. So with that in mind, I continued to perfect the most comfortable and durable hammocks and chairs for outdoor and indoor use. After all these years I still love my job, and the feedback from happy customers from all over the world keeps me focused on the job at hand.
From Fishing Trawlers to Floating Chairs
As a commercial fisherman during the 1980s and 1990s, I worked all around Australia on small vessels catching seafood for both Australian and export market. These days I no longer go to sea to make a living, instead I catch people in my floating chairs at markets, festivals, resorts and hotels, utilising my passion for people and giving people a fair dinkum good product at a good price.
People from all round the world now have experienced Chair in the Air products in over 75 resorts throughout Australasia and the South Pacific.
Where Nowhere to Sit Became Everything
I made my first hanging chair in 1996 while surfing in Sumatra. A bungalow cost 20c per night and the surf was great. The only hang up was (apart from fallen coconut trees) there was nowhere to sit! Being the inventive type I set off for the local village, bartered for rope and twine, and after many hours of construction the first Chair in the Air was born.
Blood, Sweat, Love and Tears
Several years later I was working aboard fishing trawlers in the Torres Strait. During this stint at sea I became aware that during rough swell the deckies were being thrown from their beds. Once again I manufactured a product to suit them and all staff on board were grateful. So while hanging off the arms of trawlers, going on surfing adventures and day to day interaction with all walks of people, I finely tuned my products (with loads of blood, sweat, love and tears) to cater for everyone's needs. I sold my first hand-made hanging chair at the Byron Bay markets in 1998.
I then spent a short stint in Fiji where I've sold them to over half the resorts there, and to people all over the world via the internet. More recently I moved Chair in the Air to Korolevu in Fiji and am happily working to supply local resorts and retail buyers worldwide.
Kit Deger
Passed Away 2013
Designer, Craftsman & Founder at Chair In The Air
Read "Kit's Last Wave" in Tracks MagazineThe Journey
Trusted by 75+ Premier Resorts: Kit's Legacy in Action
The Legacy Continues on the Coral Coast
Kit's motto still guides every chair and hammock we make. His designs, his standards, and his belief that people deserve a fair dinkum good product at a good price, and that hasn't changed. The workshop is still on the beach. The materials are still marine-grade. And every Chair In The Air is still handcrafted with the same care Kit put into the very first one.
Shop Kit's Collection