Organic Futons

What is a futon?

Futon in Japanese means traditional “bed”. The parts include the shikibuton – the mattress; the kakebuton – the comforter; and the makura – the pillow. The shikibuton is the ancestor of what Americans call a futon.

Traditionally, the cotton-filled futon is only about three inches thick, which makes a good, firm bed, though they are generally too firm for side sleepers.

The common American idea of a futon is a sofa that doubles as a guest bed. This, along with construction, is what differentiates a futon from a standard mattress. Futons are made up of compressed layers of material, such as organic cotton, wool, and latex. These layers are then tufted in place to keep all the batting secure and ensure a long-lasting product.

A futon mattress is generally on the firm side of the mattress spectrum and, with proper care, should last between 8 and 15 years.

Conventional Futons

Conventional futons are made with toxic and unhealthy materials such as memory foam and conventional cotton.

❌ Polyurethane Foam: This is the most common foam found in beds. These cheap, unhealthy foams are highly toxic, synthetic, polluting, and petroleum by-products, meaning they are derived from fossil fuels. Polyurethane is made from petroleum chemicals that can emit VOCs—harmful chemicals that can cause respiratory irritation or other health problems. Polyurethane is often mixed with other harmful compounds such as formaldehyde, boric acid, polyvinyl chloride, and other petrochemicals.

❌ Memory Foam: Memory foam (or viscoelastic foam) is another type of polyurethane foam with chemicals added to give it unique conforming properties. Both Memory foam and Flexible polyurethane foam are polyurethane foams. These cheap, unhealthy foams are petroleum products, meaning they are derived from fossil fuels.

❌ Polyester: another synthetic and petroleum product derived from fossil fuels. This foam is toxic and polluting.

❌ PFAS: synthetic fabrics that are often treated with perfluorinated compounds (PFAS) plus various anti-bacterial biocidal treatments and even flame retardants.

❌ Flame Retardants: the most common include brominated flame retardants, chlorinated flame retardants, and phosphate flame retardants. Brominated flame retardants are often added to polyurethane foam. Chlorinated flame retardants are often added to the fabric of mattresses, as well as to the filling. Phosphate flame retardants are often added to the padding of mattresses. Avoid also fire barriers made from fiberglass.

❌ Formaldehyde

❌ Heavy Metals

Greenwashing Futons

Avoiding greenwashing futons made by brands that pretend to be “organic”, “green, natural”, or “sustainable” when they are not! Even if they say natural or even organic without a certification is hard to prove it! That’s why I don’t recommend any brands not disclose or show their Organic Certification. These certifications are very rigorous and expensive, so not many want to go through that or can pass their strict requirements!

❌ Futons with spring cores. These futons generally do not last very long as springs don’t hold up to the rigors of folding and unfolding a futon set-up. If you are looking for a mattress with coils, here is the page with the best organic mattress brands on the market. 

❌ Soybeans Foam: this foam is derived from conventional bean crops and is usually full of pesticides, so avoid that too. 

❌ Plant-based foam: typically produced with a small percentage of soybean oil or castor oil mixed with petroleum chemicals. It is often marketed as “environmentally friendly,” but plant-based foams emit VOCs just like polyurethane foam.

❌ Polyethylene foam: Polyethylene foam can contain fewer contaminants compared to polyurethane foam. It can be made from petroleum-based or bio-based ingredients

The Best Organic Futons

Here you will find the Best Certified Organic futons on the market!

Both organic shikibutons (the traditional Japanese style thin futon) and organic futons with various organic fills made with the best organic material available!

I listed here only organic futons made with Certified Organic materials:

✅ GOLS Certification: The Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) is a materials and processing standard for organic latex and finished latex foam. In addition to the use of organic raw material, this standard also concentrates on human health, safety, and welfare, and the environment in the manufacturing process of organic latex products.

GOLS ensures that a mattress with latex is made of 95 percent organic latex, with restrictions on the other 5 percent of the mattress’s components. Certified Organic latex mattresses may have both GOTS and GOLS labels. The best certification for a latex foam mattress. 

✅ GOTS Certification: The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the world’s leading processing standard for organic textiles and fibers, including ecological and social criteria, backed by independent certification of the entire textile supply chain. GOTS requires that at least 95 percent of the materials in the mattress be certified organic, and it prohibits outright the use of certain substances, even for the other 5 percent, such as chemical flame retardants and polyurethane, the chief ingredient of memory foam. (This is for cotton, wool material used in the mattress)

• ✅ GOTS Certified Organic Latex 
• ✅ GOTS Certified Organic Wool
• ✅ GOTS Certified Organic Cotton 
• ✅ Made in the USA

The Best Organic Futon Brands 

My number one Organic Futon brand recommendations are:

• 🌿 White Lotus Home  100% GOTS-certified Organic Cotton Twill. 20% off code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL
• 🌿 Soaring Hearth has a large collection of Certified Organic Futons including Certified Organic Japanese Futons made with certified organic materials such as GOLS certified Organic latex, GOTS certified Organic cotton, and GOTS Certified Organic Wool.

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