Futon Mattresses - Finding the mattress that's right for you The different types of futon mattresses offered in retail. - Article by Futons.org Having a quality futon frame is an important component to futons but so are futon mattresses. Purchasing a lower end futon mattress may cause you to feel the frame through it. Getting a futon mattress that isn't geared to the feel you're used to can make it uncomfortable for daily use. In this article we're going to take a look at the different types of futon mattresses available in the market and what trends usually occur by shoppers who have either owned a futon or have never even sat or slept on one before. Futons actually first started out in Asia and are basically a mat no more than 3-4 inches thick that is simply laid on the floor. Textile fabric or batting would be placed inside a fabric shell and this is what would be referred to as a futon mattress. It wasn't until an American had the idea to take the futon and place it on a frame. Early futon mattresses used in the industry consisted entirely of cotton batting with a twill or fabric covering. Machine tufts or dimples as they appear in your mattress are done throughout to keep the contents of the mattress in place. These cotton batting filled futon mattresses had the advantage of being very soft and would conform to the user and most early futon frames would use these types of mattress. The only disadvantages of these mattresses were that they were very heavy to move around and over time the batting would compress down from use. Many of these mattresses are still being made and used today and have a following by consumers who really wanted a soft sleeping and sitting surface. Many mom & pop futon shops that make thier own mattresses still offer these today for the futon mattress customer looking for something ultra soft in the way of futon mattress. With the need and desire to make the cotton batting last longer, manufacturers began adding in other materials to help increase the lifespan of the mattress. Polyester and wool have been two popular fabrics used to blend with the cotton batting to change the properties of the cotton. This was a good first step into creating a futon mattress that would last longer and did much to advance futon mattress construction. The industry however wanted to create a lighter weight futon mattress and one that would have a little more longevity than straight cotton batting or blends could offer and started experimenting with adding foam into the futon mattress. Foam was introduced to the futon mattress in the form of straight or convoluted (egg crate) types. These foam cores would be added to the middle of the futon mattress and the purpose of the foam was to help increase the lifespan of the futon mattress and to make it lighter so that not as much weight would be put on the frame during operation. The other interesting quality of the higher denisty foams is that they helped firm up the mattress and the more of this foam used in the futon mattress the firmer it would be. Many manufacturers found this to be a great addition to futon mattress lines and soon futon mattresses were being introduced with edge guards made up of high density foam and even 3-4 layers of various density foam layers to provide a unique feel to the mattress. This went on for many years but something was missing that was preventing many consumers from making a futon purchase and the industry would soon figure this out and address this issue in the way of a new mattress offering. Innerspring mattresses made their way onto the futon scene a little over 10 years ago. The need for an innerspring futon mattress arose from a desire by futon manufacturers to reach out to the mainstream furniture consumer who found cottom/foam mattresses uncomfortable and wanted to provide a sofa/mattress feel that these consumers were more used to. Leggit & Platt supplies most of the steel innerspring cores to the futon industry and these steel cores are designed with a hinge built into them that allows the mattress to bend down the middle. This hinge is actually made up with a series of smaller coils which are turned in the direction of the bend to allow for normal use. With the introduction of the innerspring futon mattress, futons started being recognized more as real furniture and folks who had previous overlooked them as possible additions for a spare room, family room, den or even living room would now see futons in a different light thanks to the innerspring futon mattress. Many adavances in mattress technology have taken place in the last 10-15 years and a newer material which is a pressure reliveing foam or viscoelastic has been developed. A small number of manufacturers are trying out this technology in futons as it has worked quite well in the bedding industry for consumers with body aches and pains and the hope is to develop a mattress that will remain light enough for frame operation and won't be too heavy for the frame. Other technologies are also starting to be used like latex and newer high density materials which are already being used in some forms of higher end bedding. Futon mattresses have evolved much in the same way the mattress industry has over the last 20 years. The futon mattress has gone from straight cotton batting to blends to having foam added into the mattress core. Innerspring units were introduced into futon mattresses over 10 years ago to help reach out to consumers who wanted the mattress to feel like a regular mattress or spring sofa cushion. Technology today is also starting to find its way into futon mattresses in the way of latex and viscoelastic materials and newer high density materials are also being developed. Whether you're used to innerspring mattress or perhaps you grew up with cotton batting filled futon mattresses. The futon mattress is an important part to your futon in that its comfort will either delight or disappoint you based on the firmness or softness you like. Your retailer can help explain the different types of mattresses available to you and the advantages and disadvantages of each one. A comfortable futon mattress will provide you years of enjoyment and comfort for family and friends so when making the decision for your new futon mattress be sure to find the one that best suits you and your needs and you will be sure to enjoy your futon for years to come.

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