Futons

Futons first appeared as weed-made rags in ancient Japan. A traditional Japanese futon set generally consists of a mattress called a shikibuton wrapped in Shikifu or sheets, a comforter called Kakebuton covered with a kakebuton cover, blanket called m?fu, and a pillow called makura. The makura is usually filled with beans, buckwheat chaff, or plastic beads. The 4 to 5 cm thick futon itself is flat, having a fabric exterior stuffed with cotton and/or synthetic batting.

In Japan, there is a variety of futons available depending on the season. For example, futon may be made of feathers, which are light and comfortable during summers and better than thick and heavy ones.

Futons are designed to be laid on Tatami - a traditional Japanese flooring created from individual woven straw mats of uniform size and shape, bordered by brocade or plain black cloth, and packed with straw. Styrofoam may also be used with the recent ones.
The traditional futon, when not in use, can be folded away and stored in a closet called oshiire, which has sliding doors and is usually divided into two shelves. The futon is generally stored on the upper shelf, and since Japanese homes are typically small in size, a room may be used for multiple purposes such as functioning both as a living and dining room. The futon quite comes in quite handy when considering this since it can be easily stored away.

The futon became popular in the West after World War II. In the 1960s, handmade cotton pads were used by hippies, students and health enthusiasts as alternatives for conventional beds. The first significant transformation, about a decade later, was the introduction of convertible frames which turned the futon into a bed-cum-couch furniture.

By the 1980s, the popularity of the futon had reached its peak and the transformation continued with the introduction of components such as innersprings, pocket springs, coil, foam and polyester mattresses, as well as electric frames with massagers.

Futons provide one of the best sleeping surfaces available today. Whether you choose a softer mattress or a firmer one, your futon will always give you proper back support. Also, most importantly, compared to the price of conventional bedding of comparable quality, futons are of outstanding value.

Futons can also be combined with a convertible frame, creating one of the most versatile pieces of furniture in your home.

Mattresses

Futon mattresses are made of polyester and/or cotton batting, perhaps with one or more layers of foam, wrapped in cloth ticking material. This is tied down (tufted) at regular intervals so the batting won't break apart and get lumpy.

Ticking and Tufting -- On a convertible couch, your futon bends often. Tufts, sewn in every few inches, stop the batting from shredding and getting lumpy.

Cotton, Foam Core and Other Materials -- The resiliency of a futon comes from the natural curl built into cotton fibers. Cotton dust, picked from the floor at the gin mill, has no curl. Layers of cotton batting must contain fibers. A sheet of foam rubber as the center layer of your futon will keep the layers of batting on either side smooth and fluffy, and provide the mattress with firmness. Some of our futons contain two or four layers of foam. Even one layer of high-density foam (1.8 pounds per cube or more) will hold up longer than thin double layers of low-density (1.2) foam.

Fleecy polyester layers can make a mattress softer for a very long time. Polyester comes in coarser and fluffier varieties. Mixing them in different combinations gives the mattresses differing resiliencies from soft to firm.

Frames

Futon sofas, chaise lounges, loveseats, and chairs convert into flat beds. This gives you a comfortable place to sit and a quality bed all in one. Other futon frames stay flat and look just like a regular bed. When choosing frames, whether inexpensive or of heirloom quality, take into account the following:

Wood - Tropical woods (sometimes mislabeled "oak" or "maple") tend to dry out and crack in forced air heating because they grow in humid rain forests or tropical plantations and are often not properly cured. White pine is too soft to stand up to the stresses futon frames are subject to during sitting, sleeping, and churning about.

Quality of Construction – make sure that key joints are fastened with screws and dowels (or, on more expensive pieces, mortise and tenon joints) rather than staples. Bi-fold backs have extra support pieces, glides are constructed of nylon or other nonabrasive materials, surfaces and corners are properly finished, metal parts are double-welded and supported with tubular (not flat) cross members.

Covers

If you spill a drink on a futon it may soak into the cotton and the smell will stay with you night and day. A removable cover can be taken off for cleaning and it’s a wise investment.

© Buy Beds.org.uk 2006.

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