A good futon mattress ought to be easy to pick out – it shouldn’t be confusing. If you are furnishing a spare bedroom, designing a living room that can be changed around, or adopting traditional Japanese sleeping on the floor, knowing the various kinds of ways a futon will assist you in locating what is correct for your home and your ways of sleeping. This guide concentrates on the three primary uses people have for a futon mattress: floor futons for a stable, simple way to sleep, convertible futons which change from couch to bed, and daily futons intended for nightly use on a platform bed. As you go through it, you will discover what futon is best for your home.
CHOOSING A FUTON FOR YOUR SPACE
How do you pick a futon mattress to suit your home?
The best approach to picking a futon mattress is to begin with how you intend to put it to use. The majority of futons come into three kinds of groups: floor futons, convertible futons planned for a futon frame, and everyday futons constructed for a bed frame. Every type of style has a different aim and wants its own building, depth, and grade of support to correspond to the way you exist and slumber.
Futon Mattress Guide
Floor Futon Guide
The traditional Japanese floor mattress for simple, natural sleep is the Japanese futon to start with. A proper Japanese futon mattress – which is also known as a shikifuton – is put directly on the floor on tatami mats or coconut coir pad. Ranging from 3–5 inches thick, these Japanese futon mattresses offer a solid, even place to rest, refined through generations of Japanese craftsmanship and floor-sleeping heritage. Floor futons are good for rooms which aren’t cluttered, rooms which can be put to a number of uses, and anyone who wants to feel secure and to be well supported. They’re made to be rolled up every day, and not like heavier thicker mattresses, this helps air to move and lets the room quickly go from being a bedroom to a sitting room. The majority of people select a depth of three to five inches, depending on how comfortable they want to be, and the way they sleep. A three-inch futon gives the firmest, most usual feeling, and a five-inch futon gives extra padding that a lot of side sleepers find comfortable. Using tatami mats with a floor futon makes a surface to sleep on which lets air pass through, and controls temperature and embodies the understated nature of traditional Japanese living.
Best for:
- Minimalist or Japanese-inspired bedrooms
- A grounded, firm sleep feel
- Flexible spaces where bedding is folded away during the day
- Clean, uncluttered interiors
Everything Tatami: Floor, Bed, and Beyond
Tatami mats are not just for sleeping on the floor sleeping. They've been adapted for modern living in several ways:
SUGGESTED MATTRESSES FOR FLOOR SLEEPING FUTONS
| FUTON MATTRESSES | WHY CHOOSE THIS FUTON |
|---|---|
| Latex & Wool Shikifuton Mattress | Wool & Latex |
| Wool & Organic Cotton Shikifuton Mattresses | Wool |
| Organic Cotton Shikifuton Mattress | Vegan - Cotton |
Convertible Futon Guide
Futons which are made to easily go between a couch and a bed, are made to fold up nicely and also give good comfort when used as a bed. A good futon – for use in a frame – needs to be supportive but not hard, and bendable but still hold its form. Things to seek out are things like naturally and officially certified organic cotton, wool inside, and high density natural materials to back it up, like coils and latex. Instead of memory foam or normal foam mattresses which can fall apart by being folded a lot. Natural materials and latex maintain their structure over time, offering lasting durability and resilient support. The majority of futons that change forms are six to eight inches thick, giving enough comfort when you are seated and lying down.
Best for:
- Living rooms, guest rooms, and multipurpose spaces
- Sitting, lounging, and sleeping
- Homes that need versatility without sacrificing comfort
- Frames that fold and convert
Frame style options
SUGGESTED MATTRESSES FOR CONVERTIBLE FUTON
| FUTON MATTRESSES | WHY CHOOSE THIS FUTON |
|---|---|
| Pure Comfort Mattress | Medium Firm Comfort |
| Eco-Wool Mattress | Customizable Latex (Soft, Medium, or Firm comfort) |
| Eco-Pure | No Spring |
Everyday Bed Futon Guide
Comfortable, supportive futons made for nightly sleep on a bed frame offer a more traditional bedroom experience while still using natural materials.
Best for:
- Platform beds and modern bed frames
- A stable, consistent sleep surface
- Japandi, modern, or warm-minimal interiors
- Everyday sleeping without the need for conversion
SUGGESTED MATTRESSES FOR EVERYDAY BED
| FUTON MATTRESSES | WHY CHOOSE THIS FUTON |
|---|---|
| Cocomat Mattress | Firm Comfort |
| Support Lux Mattress | Luxurious Hand-tufted, Medium, or Firm comfort |
| Softnest / Moonlight Mattress | Customizable Latex (Soft, Medium, or Firm comfort) |
Understanding Futon Dimensions and Mattress Size
Futon mattresses come in the usual sizes mattresses do. Twin mattresses are good for kids’ bedrooms or not very large rooms for visitors. Full sizes are good for people who sleep alone, or smaller bedrooms. Queen is the size most couples choose, and king gives you the most space to sleep. You should always check the measurements of your futon bedframe, or base, before you decide which size mattress to get, so it will fit correctly.
Dimension guide →
The Materials That Define a High Quality Futon
The main thing setting a good futon apart from a normal mattress is what they’re made of. Futons which are natural - using cotton, wool, latex and plant fibres that are officially organic - give strong, airy ease, and don’t contain toxins. Unlike memory foam, foam mattresses, or lots of coil-spring mattresses, which need chemical foams, natural materials do not release dangerous fumes (off-gassing) and will keep their shape for years. Natural and Organic cotton is comfy and lets air through, and also pulls moisture away. Wool – natural and organic – is naturally fireproof, controls temperature, and gives a bounce back. Natural latex delivers responsive comfort and pressure reduction without trapping heat like memory foam can. Coconut and hemp coir create firm, resilient layers that hold their shape and extend durability. Some futons even include steel springs for a traditional coil feel—while still keeping comfortable, breathable natural layers on top.
ORGANIC COTTON
ORGANIC WOOL
ORGANIC LATEX
COCONUT COIR
HEMP COIR
HORSE TAIL
CASHMERE
CAMEL HAIR
Caring for Your Futon Mattress
Looking after it correctly will mean a good futon stays in excellent shape for a long time. When you aren’t using floor futons, either roll or fold them; and also give them air frequently. To revitalise the natural materials, dry the futon in the sun once a month, and turn it from time to time to get the same amount of use over the whole thing.
See Care Set Up →
Make Your Space Work for You
What makes a good futon mattress is what works for your room, how you sleep, and what sorts of materials are important to you. If you’re going for traditional Japanese style – sleeping on the floor with tatami – or putting a sofa-bed into a spare bedroom, or just wanting a bedroom which is good for your health and uses natural things, a good futon gives uncomplicated, firm support. The Futon Shop has made futons without chemicals since 1976, using cotton that is officially organic, and plant fibres, and not foam-rubber or things from oil. A properly made futon isn’t only a mattress; it’s a more considered and environmentally friendly way to rest.
TESTIMONIALS GUIDE
“Ive been thinking about non toxic bedding for while. @the_futon_shop is exactly what I was looking for. At an affordable price too!”
@julien
Julien Marlon Samani
“What surprised me most was the balance of extreme comfort and firm support. Sleeping closer to the floor provides a stable, even surface that supports natural spinal alignment. It’s not plush in the way traditional mattresses are—but it’s deeply comfortable in a way that feels intentional and restorative.”
@bradshaw_chiropractic
Bradshaw Chiropractor
“I ended up falling in love with a walnut frame with no screws, just precise Japanese joinery that fits together like art.”
@fashionbyally
Ally Chen • Style & Travel
