Having already revolutionized the U.S. auto industry, the Japanese are moving from the garage to the bedroom. Futons, or Japanese mattresses, have found their way into American homes and it looks like they're here to stay.
A futon is a thin, firm mattress traditionally made of layers of cotton matting. Foam or wool is sometimes added to the cotton layers for a softer feel, but this is considered an American deviation by futon purists.
Futons are available in the same standard sizes as American beds at a fraction of the cost. They range in price from a dirt-cheap $65 for a twin-sized mattress to around $480 for a king-sized mattress and matching frame.
Durability is one of the futon's selling points. The compacted mattresses tend to have a very long life; unlike beds, they will not sag or pop springs as they age.
Versatility is another advantage. A futon can be used as is like a regular mattress on the floor. It can be dressed up in removable colored slipcovers. During the day, it can be rolled up or shaped into a chair. Or it can be placed in a wooden frame, available in a variety of styles and woods, to create a platform bed or a convertible sofa-bed.
For a student, a futon is an ideal piece of furniture because it costs very little and can be folded into thirds and stuffed in the back seat of a car for the trip to college.
For urban professionals, a futon is an ideal guest bed because it can look ultramodern but won't take up much space in a spare room.
Duro Nuri, proprietor of Xha Xhi, a New England-based futon distributor, believes that frames, slipcovers, pillows and other trimmings help futons create 'a very inviting environment ... People are still showing the Oriental look, but (the futon) is a viable piece of furniture for any contemporary home.'
Nuri has seen the market for futons change over the years. When the mattresses were first introduced in the United States a decade ago, futon buyers were mostly 'vegetarians and the health-oriented,' he reports. But the market soon expanded to include students and 'people who have a lot of guests.'
Today, the versatile piece of furniture is popular with different segments of the population. The futon will probably always be a favorite among students and younger adults without much money or space, but as the line of styles and accessories expands, upscale consumers are getting into the act.
'People have seen the product is more than just a trendy thing,' says Nuri.
While the types of people buying futons has changed, the geographic areas where futons are popular have remained fairly constant. Residents of 'the so-called sophisticated areas, the 'new age' kind of centers' are more inclined to purchase futons, according to Nuri.
Futon sales are highest in the Northeast, West Coast, and large metropolitan areas. Sales are especially big in Minneapolis, a city which prides itself on being a center for the arts.
Many stores make their own futons by hand on the premises. Bob Galeone, owner of two Futons by Shonin stores in Baltimore and Savage, Maryland, began eight years ago by making futons in his own home.
Galeone credits the now-defunct company Shinera as being the major promoter of futons in this country. A determined advertising campaign introduced futons to the East Coast, where large companies such as New Moon and Arise kept the avant-garde furnishing in the public eye.
Although futons have 'virtues beds don't,' says Galeone - including versatility in style and surprising comfort -- he takes issue with a growing belief among futon fans that the mattresses are a panacea for back problems.
While he points out that 'people can have a bad back from sleeping on a sagging bed,' Galeone emphasizes, 'It's a little presumptious for me as a futon manufacturer to tell someone their back pain will be alleviated. ... There are a lot of people who find futons helpful, but that's a long way from saying it's good for your back.
'Most of their appeal is their versatility and simplicity,' he says. 'You get a lot of product for a little money.'
