The Advent of Cheap Futons
Even though there is an abundant availability of cheap futons, when they were first becoming popular in America “cheap” didn’t mean affordable; it meant shoddily made. These early crafters picked up on the futon trend and saw an opportunity to mass market poorly constructed furniture. Their target audience was not mainstream America but college kids or people looking for “throwaway” furniture. Basically, they targeted anyone who was looking for a deal and didn’t care about the quality of the furniture. The wood for the frames was not good, solid oak or pine but tropical woods and soft pine, neither of which is durable. Plus, they used easily broken joints to connect it all so even if the wood had been a decent quality, it still would not have held together strongly. Instead of constructing the mattresses from the strongest part of the cotton ball they used “picker” cotton, which snagged easily and was not soft at all. Anyone who bought these early, inferior futons ended up with a piece of furniture that was both uncomfortable and prone to falling apart.
Today, the term “cheap” futon means well-made furniture for affordable prices. The wood is obviously of a much higher quality, sometimes even using metal, for a very sturdy frame. Plus, they have switched from cotton mattresses to much sturdier materials, like polyester and foam, which are both comfortable and durable. This rise in quality has made futons a standard for all classes of people and all types of interiors. A futon can be placed in a home office to use as a couch during the day; then the room can become a guest bedroom at night simply by converting the couch into a bed. They can be used for daybeds inside or a loveseat out on the porch. With the use of futon covers, you don’t have to worry about getting it dirty because you can just slip the cover off, wash it, and slide it right back on.
Clearly futons have come a long way since their initial introduction to American culture, becoming a staple in households all across the nation. To find cheap futons for every room of the house, visit Ultimate Futons. With free shipping and a huge selection, getting a cheap futon has never been so easy.
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