La-Z-Boy

The furniture company that would later be known as La-Z-Boy was founded in 1927 by American cousins, Edward M Knabusch and Edwin J Shoemaker, who invented the first recliner in 1928. A comfortable concept, the folding wood-slat porch chair followed the contour of a person's body, both sitting and leaning back. Using orange crates to mock-up and refine their idea, the partners invented the reclining mechanism that would sweep the world off its feet.

The chairs were an instant hit - but needed a name. Combining promotion with necessity, the partners held a contest and turned down suggestions including Sit-n-Snooze, Slack-Back and Comfort Carrier before choosing La-Z-Boy as the clear winner.