The History of the Futon

When you think of futons, you probably think of student housing. The beginnings of futon mattresses started out in Japan and over the years morphed into what we know them to be, more than for students.

The original futon mattresses were quite thin and didn’t use a frame at all. They weren’t decorative actually. Their sole purpose was for sleeping and when not in use, they were rolled up and tucked away during the day. According to Wikipedia.org, the futon is the Japanese traditional style of bedding. A futon set in the early days consisted of a mattress, a comforter and a pillow. Very early futons were made of paper and stuffed with straw, if you can believe it. Then they were made from leftover cotton from ladies’ sewing. But they served their purpose.

Futons were introduced to North America with the arrival of Japanese immigrants but didn’t gain popularity until the early 1970’s when a furniture designer developed a frame to get the mattress off the floor. Because of this, the mattress became thicker than the traditional Japanese futon. Manufacturers took the transformation as an opportunity to make cost-effective, dual-purpose furniture. Some producers marketed futons as throw-away furniture. But thankfully, others saw futons differently.

There are now many varieties of futons that will accommodate any lifestyle. Nowadays, they’re not only used for sleeping. You can find futon furniture in several spaces that a pull-out sofa would be used. Their modern uses are very practical and versatile. A single mattress sized futon makes for a great chair that is at the ready for an overnight guest. Mattresses have come a long way and with the proper frame, they are very comfortable for sleeping and look pleasing as a piece of furniture. There are a lot of frame styles to choose from nowadays. Don’t let the futon decision limit your fashion stye. As the futon involved, so did their looks. You can also purchase a cover for your futon with a design that will compliment a room. The cover acts as protection for the mattress at the same time. It can be easily cleaned as well by machine washing. A visit to a specialty store like The Futon Shop will you how versatile the futon and how decorative they can be. Let their staff share their knowledge with you.

With your safety in mind, the store is open with limited capacity. You can call them toll free at 1-844-933-8866 (1-844-9FUTON) or shop online at www.futonshop.ca. If you wish to shop in person, their showroom is located at 5205 Harvester Road, Unit 8 in Burlington. An appointment can be made if your plan is to visit when they’re closed. Just give them a call, they’ll be glad to help. Don’t forget that The Futon Shop proudly carries high quality Canadian and locally made futons!