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The Futon Shop is an alternative bedding and mattress company located in Northern California with 11 store fronts and nationwide distribution. [table of contents]
History
editThe Futon Shop was founded in 1976 by Artie and Suzanne Diamond. [1] Two pioneers of the natural food and organic alternative lifestyle movement of the mid-70's Artie and Suzanne Diamond met in Boston where Suzanne was studying at the Boston Museum School of fine arts Artie was working at the Erewhon She made her first futon using natural fibers in 1976 under the influence of Michio Kushi, a reknowned macrobiotic teacher suggested the health benefits of sleeping on natural fibers instead of polyurethane foam.[2]
In 1977 Artie and Suzanne Diamond moved to Los Angeles, California and started hand making futon mattresses for customers in the Los Angeles area. Initial sales were all by word of mouth as the organic bedding movement was at that point a very niche market mainly associated with alternative lifestyles and the counter culture movement of the 60's and 70's. The first store front to be called "The Futon Shop" was opened in San Anselmo when the Diamonds moved to San Francisco, and a store front and two factories (making mattresses and wood frames, respectively) were opened shortly after.
During The Futon Shop's hey day in the 80's, they had 22 stores in California, 2 franchises in Florida, and one in Singapore. Today the company is smaller, but more focused on it's original goal of offering organic bedding options. Offering 9 organic cotton mattresses made with cotton grown in America [3], The Futon Shop is a continuing pioneer in the field of organic mattresses and bedding, combining organic cotton, organic latex, recycled steel coils and virgin wool.
In 2010, The Futon Shop started a wholesale business selling it's organic and eco-friendly mattresses to furniture dealers across The United States.[4]
References
edit- ^ Diamond, Suzanne. (2010). http://www.thefutonshop.com/about.aspx#history
- ^ Kushi, Michio, revised edition (1987). "The Book of Macrobiotics" Tokyo:Japan Publications
- ^ Diamond, Suzanne. (2010). http://www.thefutonshop.com/product-info.aspx#green
- ^ Diamond, Suzanne. (2010). http://www.thefutonshop.com/locations.aspx#dealer
External links
edit- The Futon Shop The Futon Shop's Website
- [1] Michi Kushi's biography