Archive for November, 2008

Western Futons

Western Futons

Futons act as a sofa during the day and can be converted into a sleeping bed at night. Basically the futon is used to save space. The futon sofa has cushions that are usually stuffed with cotton batting and can be found in a variety of colors, sizes and fabrics. Futons are used for sleeping and sitting and futons provide a good back support. In Japan futons are usually taken out in the sunlight and occasionally beaten with a stick to take out the dust.

Futons became available in the west in the early 70s. People became interested in futons because they were inexpensive and saved considerable space. In the beginning most of the futon sofa users were students, first time homeowners and apartment dwellers. After the 1970s futons became very popular in America. Today the futons come in luxuriant colors and fabrics, from rich brocades to lush tapestries.

The western futons are thicker and larger than the Japanese traditional futons. These futons resemble the conventional furniture which are filled with foam and batting in number of layers. In a reverse trend, western style futons have gained popularity in Japan because they are cheaper and more convenient than the traditional Japanese futon.

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