Why Buy A Futon?

Why Buy A Futon?

What Is A Futon

Why buy a futon? What are the functional and comfort reasons to own a futon? Before answering this, it is important to define what a futon is. In the east, the original traditional futon was simply a thin cotton mattress that could be rolled up and stored away during the day and then rolled out for every night sleeping. Then, in the west, a futon was referred to as both the mattress and the converting frame. Now, a futon has become an inexpensive single piece sofa bed unit, mostly imported from China also called a click clack. The fact is, there are three different types of sofa beds. Let’s break it down to each type of sofa bed and futon and why should you buy one and from whom?

The Futon Sofa Bed Couch

A futon sofa bed couch is simply a sofa bed frame with the removable mattress on the outside of the couch, instead of being folded inside the sofa bed couch. A futon sofa bed uses the comfort of the futon mattress for the sitting and sleeping surface of the futon sofa bed. Therefore, the cushion that you sit on every day is also the mattress you can sleep on every night, instead of the traditional foam cushions. This type of futon sofa bed can come with very thick and comfortable, even organic and chemical free ingredients, made without fire retardants and petroleum based chemicals. So, a futon sofa bed can be a very nontoxic, fire retardant free and polyurethane foam free couch and bed. When purchasing a futon sofa bed, choose a company that handcrafts their own a futon mattresses and offers many organic and natural options. The best futon mattress is made with comfort layers, of wool, latex, micro coils and coconut coir.

Why Buy A Futon?

The Futon Mattress

A futon can also simply be a futon mattress by itself without a futon sofa bed frame. Futon mattresses can be used on a traditional slatted platform bed or bunk bed and can be made from the same ingredients as traditional mattresses. Futon mattresses manufactured by responsible mattress manufacturers can be MORE chemical-free and non-toxic than any traditional mattress by eliminating petroleum based foams, memory foams and gels. Many futon mattress on the market today consist of petro-chemical foam’s, Dacron polyester batting, or cheap short Mote cotton fibers with virtually nothing you can call natural.

Click-Clack Sofa Bed Futons

Then there are the big box sellers who sell sofa beds that click down to make a bed from the sofa position, much like lawn chairs, but market them as futons. These are really not futons at all, but in the 1990’s the furniture industry started imported these cheap sofa beds from China and calling them futons. They are not futons at all, but more accurately are convertible couches. These sofa beds are required to meet Ca 117-2013, an upholstered sofa or chair flammability standard. Most of these couches use Dacron polyester fiber, that is toxic when it melts, but does not burst into flames. These imported futon sofa beds are usually not standard bed sizes and are in most cases much smaller, so they will not sleep two people very comfortably. The cushion padding for these sofa beds is generally hard, with a dip in the middle making them not very comfortable to sleep on as a bed.

Traditional Sofa Beds

Then there is the traditional sofa bed. The mattress folds inside the sofa and you sit on foam cushions. These sofa beds have to have metal bars to support the mattress or a nylon sheet and generally contain a very thin mattress so they can fold up inside the frame. These sofa beds are heavy, bulky, and very uncomfortable, although they can look good as an everyday couch.



Explore our Futon Mattresses & Click-Clack Sofa Bed Futons



So Why Buy A Futon

So why buy a futon? The primary reason is options. You have many options to choose from when buying a futon. You can get an affordable natural or organic mattress. You can get a super comfortable soft or firm guest bed for family and friends. You can create a space that can be an office during the day and a guest room at night. You can change the color scheme of the room with removable slipcovers. With all of these options however, buying the right futon mattress is the key to a comfortable nights sleep. High end sofa beds do look like traditional couches and some even feel like traditional beds. They are durable and are designed to last for many years. These high end models may be cost prohibitive to some who are looking for a secondary piece of furniture that will be only occasionally used. The best option is to try out the different futons and sofa beds before making a decision.

Why Buy A Futon?
Why Buy A Futon?
Why Buy A Futon?
Why Buy A Futon?

Choosing A Futon

Choosing between a traditional sofa bed and a futon sofa bed has much to do with personal preference. Each have their own benefits. If you are looking for a more traditional couch look and feel and don’t really care if your guests are comfortable, then a traditional sofa bed, or click clack futon may be the better option for you. However, if you are looking for a versatile, customizable, piece of furniture, a futon will be what works for you both day and night. Futons are smaller, lighter and work better in small spaces. Because they tend to be lighter than sofa beds, they can be easier to operate than sofa beds. Some sofa bed models recommend two people to operate or convert from a couch to a bed. However, some people believe that futons are not as comfortable as a sofa bed, recalling the thin mattress they had in college. Futon mattresses have gone through major upgrades over the past thirty years, with some models easily comparable to traditional box spring mattresses. There are organic futons, memory foam futon mattresses, and even chemical free futons. The options are vast.


Why Buy A Futon?

Everything You Need To Know About Futons