Title: Futons beds Word Count: 240 Summary: The first futon introduced into American culture was constructed of a simple cotton mattress that could be placed directly on the floor and easily folded to save space. Keywords: Futons, Futons Article Body: The word futon comes from the English spelling for a Japanese-style bed known as a "shikibuton," or floor mat. The classic Futon sits straight on the floor though there are now many designs of the bi-fold that have legs The first futon introduced into American culture was constructed of a simple cotton mattress that could be placed directly on the floor and easily folded to save space. Since then, in the American bedding industry, futons have evolved to a dual-purpose seating and bedding product that offers an alternative to the traditional sofa bed. Futons are not fireproof. Today's version of the futon usually has a frame, cover, and mattress that may contain cotton batting, synthetic batting or polyurethane foam padding materials that may catch fire if touched by a cigarette, match, lighter, or other open flame. The mechanisms of the frames are divided into two types, the bi-fold and the tri-fold. The mattress needs only to be folded once with the bi-fold whereas it needs to be folded three times with the tri-fold Futon quality mattress is durable, beautiful and very versatile when decorating any room. There are no better mattresses available for comfort and durability then modern futon mattresses. When choosing a Futon: consider the quality of the frames, making sure it appears sturdy and is made of good materials. Choose the mattress carefully according to whether it is generally to be used as a sleeper or a sofa.