About The Futon Shop

1977-1979 - Artie and Suzanne Diamond moved to Los Angeles California in 1976 and continued to make hand made Japanese style futons for customers in the Los Angeles area. The Diamonds were part of the beginning of the health food and healthy and alternative lifestyle of the mid 1970’s. Artie worked for Erewon Health Food Stores, organic produce farmers and they manufactured natural cotton clothing as well futons. The futons were mostly sold by word of mouth within the natural food movement. The customers buying futons wanted natural fibers on and around there bodies as well as organic food in there bodies.

1979 - The Diamonds moved to San Francisco and opened the first official store selling futons to the general public in San Anselmo California called The Futon Shop (TFS). This was the first official futon store in America. Suddenly the spirit of natural fibers was gaining in popularity and futons started to become more mainstream bedding.

1980 - William Brower a Boston architect who enjoyed working in wood, designed a beautiful black walnut hardwood futon frame that folded in three parts. This futon frame was displayed in the Arts and Craft museum next to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The Diamonds started offering these frames in Bebinga, black walnut and warm cherry to the general public in California. The Diamond’s opened there first futon showroom selling futon mattresses and futon frames in San Rafael California. So many Californians wanted futons that the Diamond’s opened a factory in Corte Madera California.

1981 - Around the same period of time Peter Kloos a wine barrel maker (copper) who lived in Napa Valley made on of the first American made Pine folding and flat futon frame in a few different styles. Peter originally from Amsterdam, worked in a beautiful stone building In the heart of Napa Valley. He is still there with his family and has a furniture store in downtown Napa.

1980 - The Diamond’s expanded there futon stores to Berkeley and San Francisco selling William Brower hardwood futon frames and Peter Kloos’s pine futon frames and platform beds as well as there very special all natural hand-made futons.

1981 - The Futon Shop was so busy that a new factory was opened in the mission of San Francisco and the Diamonds had over 30 employees. There futon and frame line was expanded on to include a larger variety of futons and futon sofa bed frames, natural fiber futon, futon frames and washable cotton slip covers where all manufactured in Boston and California.

1982 - The Futon Shop continued to expend operations the Diamond’s opens a 2nd futon store in San Francisco and opened more stores in Palo Alto and Fremont California.

1983 - The Diamond’s opened another futon store in Albany California and Oakland California.

1984-1991 - By 1991 the Diamond’s had opened a total of 22 futon stores in California from Los Angeles to Sacramento. Still manufacturing quality futon mattresses right here in San Francisco.

1992 - The Futon Shop purchased a felt Garnett Machine to process wool cotton and all natural fillings for their futons. This machine allowed them to purchased organic and natural cotton and wool from local American farmers and supported greater control of quality and consistency of their futon mattresses.

1993-1995 - The Futon Shop opened 3 franchise stores in Tallahassee, Ft. Walton Beach and Jacksonville Florida and a 800 square foot franchise futon store in a shopping mall in the heart of Singapore.

1993 - The futon industry continue to grow and the Diamond’s launched a wholesale division with their futon mattresses farm their San Francisco manufacturing plant.

1994-1997 - The Futon Shop became frustrated with the poor quality of the futon frames that were available so they purchased there own woodworking oak factory and manufactured Solid American made Oak futon frames from Southern California.

1998 - The Futon Shop was invited to partner with JETCO Japanese Economic Trade Commission to introduce American futons to the Japanese public and wholesale agents. The Diamond’s shipped their 1st container of futons to Tokyo, Japan.

2000-2007 - Through the ups and down of the 90’s and into the 21st century the Diamond’s continued to innovate and make the best quality natural futon bedding for over 2 million happy customers throughout the world. The Futon Shop still manufactures and offers 24 quality futon mattress in 8 sizes, hundreds of washable and removable futon covers, folding foam beds, and a huge selection of futon frames.

2008 - The Futon Shop introduces Soy-based foams into all their hand-made mattresses. The Diamond’s still believe in natural fibers and natural living in all areas of their lives. From 1976 onwards the Diamond’s have promoted natural futons and proudly offer them at their 11 retail stores, and through selected retailers.

Future - TFS continues to enjoy working with the best team and strive to innovate & manufacture America's best natural futons mattresses. We are currently working towards being totally Green by the year 2010.

See what makes our futons so comfortable below. Click on this video to see how we make the organic cotton felt bats that we layer into each and every handmade futon mattress. We garnet in felt bats 100% virgin wool, staple cotton, organic cotton and blended cotton all grown in America.

Green • save our planet Make your pledge to the planet and support mother earth with our Natural Hybrid Soy Memory Foam Futons, made with the greenest foam on the market, with 100% organic cotton and 733 three inch pocket coils. At The Futon Shop we take this pledge very seriously, and are happy to offer the most eco-friendly line of futons on the market. We can all help to reduce our environmental footprint, now even with the futons we sleep on.

Organic • Natural and Pure Because it’s better for the planet. Organic farming is a healthier, more sustainable way of producing vegetables and fibers. Organic methods focus on soil health, replenishing soil fertility, promote bio diversity, and protect our air, water, soils and wildlife from toxic chemicals. Organic farming is also a powerful tool in the fight against global warming. It reduces our dependence on fossil fuels and stores carbon in the soil, where it boosts soil fertility instead of releasing it to the atmosphere as a greenhouse gas. Organic farming just makes sense—for people and for the planet. Try our Egyptian Cotton Futon Collection, premium quality futons made with Staple Egyptian, Recycled, or Organic Cottons. Make sure your futons are made with the highest quality cotton with the least environmental impact. For your new baby protect them with love and our, crib futons and crib futons with latex.

Wool • Latex save our planet Wool has filled our lives with comfort and warmth for thousands of years. Today the bedroom is much more than a place for sleeping. It is a quiet haven. A retreat from the stresses of day to day life. When we are surrounded by the natural luxury of pure new wool, its remarkable strength and softness give strong feelings of safety and security. Wool provides us with a personal environment that is health-enhancing because it is a natural fiber. Wool disperses moisture from our skin, provides even warmth and body temperature, resists flame and static electricity and helps to reduce the stressful noise levels that surround us every day. And yet, while we have been living with the qualities of wool throughout the ages, wool is also a fiber for the future. Regardless of the advances mankind makes in the creation of new synthetics, technology will never recreate the comfort, strength, softness and security only wool can offer. You will love our warm and cozy Essence collection of futons and futon mattresses with or without latex.

Memory foam• emissions free Sensus® Takes sleeping comfort to a whole new level. Sensus viscose memory foam is a premium, high density, memory foam, manufactured using the exclusive, patented Variable Pressure Foaming SM (VPF) process. VPF manufacturing means Sensus outperforms existing memory foam products in consistency, quality and shape-conforming comfort, allowing you to create mattresses and pillows that offer the ultimate individualized sleep experience. Our Life Enhancement collection of premium futons and futon mattresses are as different as the people who sleep on them. That’s why the ability of Sensus to offer a truly individualized sleep experience makes it worth asking for by name. No other product can relieve pressure points and provide such luxurious sleeping comfort as well as Sensus. Simply applying a fancy mattress cover isn’t enough. With Sensus inside, you’ll toss and turn less and enjoy more restorative sleep than you ever thought possible.It’s also the most environmentally friendly. VPF is virtually emissions free—just one more reason you’ll sleep better on our futon mattress made with Sensus.

Relex bounce foam• no CFCs or harmful blowing agents No springs attached Reflex Bounce™ is a premium, high-density foam made through the state-of-the-art VPF technology that creates mattress cores superior to traditional innerspring construction. While providing long-lived durability that’s roughly comparable to springs, Reflex Bounce™ surpasses innersprings by reducing customer concerns for long-term comfort. Mattresses built around Reflex Bounce™ cores will provide you with a better night’s sleep. Try our soft and bouncy Royal Contour Collection.

So what is the difference between a tradition mattress and our mattresses• Nothing except Health, Comfort and a Better Planet.

First and foremost every futon sofa bed frame that we sell at the futon shop is Eco-friendly and made from plantation and reforested wood. We have certification from all our hardwood futon frame manufacturers and you can rely on our commitment to protect our planet and our future. Together we can make a difference. From our solid oak futon frames to our sofa bed loveseats and wall-hugging sofa sleepers we are committed to the quality workmanship and long life of all our sofa beds.

Your first thought probably is what is a Wall-Hugger futon frame? A Wall-Hugger is a type of futon frame that does not require the frame to be moved away from the wall in order to convert the frame. Another name is zero tolerance futon.

We sell two different collections of true Wall-Hugger futon sofa beds. This important feature allows you to convert the frame from sofa to bed without moving it from the wall. Our Signature Collection of frames has a finished back and this sofa bed remains in place when the frame is unfolded into a bed. Our Carriage Collection of Wall-Hugger sofa sleepers incorporate unique designs with exciting finishes like a completely finished back that looks beautiful from any view and with our patented front-loading mechanism.

Why is this a big deal? Well for one, the frame and quality mattress may weigh over 300 pounds. Who wants to move something this heavy just to go to bed or worse yet have to call your neighbor to come over and help you move it. We offer Strata futon sofa bed frames that are the only sofa bed piece of furniture that makes a true Wall-Hugger zero tolerance futon. Place the frame next to the wall and the front-loading mechanism allows you to convert the frame from sofa to bed quickly and easily.

Another great advantage is that an uninformed guest trying to convert a typical frame will scratch and dent your walls. As we say at Strata: Are Your Walls Safe?

Strata Furniture has a patented front-loading Wall-Hugger mechanism. One of the reasons you purchase a futon is to have the versatility of a sofa and a bed. Why not buy one that is the easiest and quickest to convert from sofa to bed. Our Wall-Hugger futon frames are built at a quality manufacturing facility according to rigid standards and quality control procedures. We expect each product to not only look great and operate smoothly, but also to he extremely well built and to last. Many companies cut back on the strength and construction of their frame bodies because the mattress hides the bodies. The problem is that wear and tear will eventually cause problems. Our futon frames from Strata Furniture uses thicker stretchers and reinforced slats to insure durability and also comfort by supporting the mattress. Shop and compare the mechanism as well as the design and we are sure you will agree the small extra cost is worth the benefits.