Organic Futons: An Eco-Friendly Option for Sound & Healthy Sleep

Posted by HaikuDesigns on March 22nd, 2016

Filling in the Historical Facts

People from a variety of ancient civilizations, such as Persia and Mesopotamia, slept on mattresses stuffed with cotton or wool or leaves, but it was the Japanese who originally created and then popularized what we now call the futon. In Japan the word “futon” means bedding.  This also infers that the complete definition of a futon includes sheets, duvet-coverings, comforters, as well as the mattress. In Japanese the mattress by itself is called a shikibuton, and the word for its traditional duvet is kakebuton. https://www.haikudesigns.com/natural-organic-futons.htm 

The original futons were slightly different in structure.  Measuring only 2—3 inches thick, these futon mattresses were produced from “long staple cotton”, which is the most valuable component of the unprocessed cotton-ball. Using this aspect of cotton made the futon strong and it helped to avoid the problem of lumps or deterioration of the mattress over time. As an annual ritual, many Japanese people would take their futons to a specialist, who would then remove the covering in order to wash the cotton. These futon-gurus did the same thing with the rest of the bedding.

A time honored and common practice among the Japanese people is to roll out the futon each night to sleep.  Each morning the mattress would be rolled back up to store away, or placed outside on sunny days.  This allowed the fresh air to dispel odors while the heat of the sun helped to prevent mold and infestation from parasites and insects. Even in modern times, many Japanese people prefer this rolling method to the sofa-bed-frame. This method of creating space is vital in countries like Japan where space is a rare commodity.

Filling in the Contemporary Facts

Futon production in America is much different than that of traditional Japan.  While Japanese futons are traditionally filled with cotton, many of the futons manufactured for western culture use synthetic filling or polyester foam to bring down the cost of production.   In the United States and other Western nations, the futon doubles as a sofa or sofa-bed.  The frame can be opened and flattened for sleeping and then folded back to serve as a sofa.  In Japan it is much more common to use the futon only for sleeping, so, instead of using a modular frame, the Japanese use stationary platform-beds with wooden slats or Tatami mats made from rice straw for support.

Futons usually have lower prices than conventional mattresses.  In a smaller apartment the futon can serve as a sofa and bed f the futon comes as a sofa-bed, which eliminates the need to send money on separate pieces.   If you are concerned about overuse of the futon as both a sofa and bed, purchasing a futon cover will also help extend the life of your futon.   Designed to protect against stains and wear, futon covers are durable and longer lasting than traditional sheets.  Additionally, you may want to consider adding a traditional fitted sheet when using the futon as a bed to help protect the cover from body oils and moisture while you sleep. For exceptional futon merchandise both Japanese and American style, please visit https://www.haikudesigns.com/

About the Author:

This article was written by Mark Klosterman who worked at Haiku Designs.Since its inception, Haiku Designs has provided the finest collections of modern furniture for home and offices. It offers all kinds of bedroom, living room, dining room, office furniture items and more. Apart from this, Haiku Designs also offers natural bedding, floor covering and other accessories.