Authentic Japanese Appeal with Shiki Futon Mats

Posted by HaikuDesigns on August 7th, 2015

The Japanese Futon

A futon is traditional form of Japanese bedding made from quilts and padded mattresses, which is pliable, allowing it to be folded and stored in a closet during daylight hours. This option allows people to use a room for more than one purpose. The mattress referred to as a futon in Japan consists of a “shikibuton or bottom mattress and a kakebuton or a quilted bedcover”. The word futon itself is an English term derived from Sino-Japanese, which initially meant “round cushions filled with cattail flower spikes”. Essentially, a futon is a flat mattress encased in a protector, which is stuffed with cotton and/or wool batting. Futons are usually designed to rest on tatami mats/flooring. Another reason to store away a futon periodically is to let the tatami mat breathe or air-out. Futons must also be air-out from time to time, especially outdoors so they can be exposed to sunlight, which is a great way to kill molds. In Japan, it’s even common to beat futons with a broom-stick or traditionally with a tataki, which is made from bamboo and resembles the carpet-beaters used in the West. This process prevents the padding from getting matted or too flat.

The Western Futon

Futons produced in the West today are modeled after the traditional Japanese futon, but they have some differences, one of which is placing the futon on a platform-bed or a wooden frame that can be easily adjusted to serve as a couch. The futon itself is usually filled with layers of cotton batting, making it thicker than Japanese futons so it appears to be as thick as a conventional box-spring mattress. The type of futon normally produced in the West also comes with a replaceable cover or case that’s offered in different colors to accommodate different tastes or the décor of individual bedrooms. https://www.haikudesigns.com/cotton-shiki-mat.htm

The Shiki Futon

The Shiki style futon from Haiku Designs has benefits that box-spring mattresses do not have. First, it’s made from natural cotton. In addition, it’s protected by a thick canvas case also made from cotton. Like any futon, it can be folded and stored away easily when you have a need for more space in the bedroom or a guest-room. And it comes in two types: 1) The Shiki mat Level 1 is made from cotton that hasn’t been dyed or bleached. Since most cotton grown in the West is bleached with toxic chlorine and dioxin chemicals, the Shiki mat is an alternative to consumers who wish to sleep on a bed that is eco-friendly and safer for one’s overall health. The second option offered is the Shiki mat Level 2, which is made from 100% certified, organic cotton batting and encased in an organic cotton case. This option offers the highest degree of Green manufacturing and personal health. https://www.haikudesigns.com/cotton-shiki-mat.htm

About the Author:

This article was written by Mark Klosterman who worked at Haiku Designs.Since its inception, Haiku Designs has provided the finest collections of modern furniture for home and offices. It offers all kinds of bedroom, living room, dining room, office furniture items and more. Apart from this, Haiku Designs also offers natural bedding, floor covering and other accessories.