Gallery
Natural Cotton and Wool Japanese-Style Firm Futon Mattress • 8 Inch
Natural Cotton and Wool Japanese-Style Firm Futon Mattress • 8 Inch
Natural Cotton and Wool Japanese-Style Firm Futon Mattress • 6 Inch
Natural Cotton and Wool Japanese-Style Firm Futon Mattress • 8 Inch
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Old-Fashioned Hand-Made Mattress Collection?
The Old-Fashioned Hand-Made Mattress Collection is built around techniques that predate modern mattress factories: layers of batting laid out by hand, compressed under tension, and tufted to hold everything in place. Since each piece is assembled individually, slight differences in weight and measurements between mattresses come with the territory and reflect the handmade process. Natural fibers like cotton and wool give the collection its breathability, durability, and clean sleep environment.
Modeled on traditional Japanese futons, these mattresses favor a flat, stable surface that supports natural spinal alignment and restful sleep.
What is the Organic Cotton, Wool & Latex Old-Fashioned Mattress?
This mattress builds a medium-firm sleep surface from three complementary materials: a natural Dunlop latex core for responsive support, certified organic cotton for breathable cushioning, and a wool wrap for climate control and natural fire protection. Handcrafted to order in the USA with traditional tufting, it's the choice for sleepers who want the grounded character of a hand-made futon with genuine pressure relief built in.
What materials and construction does it use?
The center of the mattress is a 3-inch core of 100% natural Dunlop latex, OEKO-TEX and FSC certified and harvested from sustainably managed rubber trees in Sri Lanka. With a C3 density rating (around 32 ILD), it delivers a stable medium-firm response that lifts the body rather than letting it sink. Around the core sit multiple layers of unbleached, USDA-certified organic cotton grown in the United States, and the entire mattress is encased in 1.5 inches of certified organic wool that acts as both temperature regulator and natural flame barrier. Every layer is hand-tufted to keep the fill anchored and prevent lumping.
How comfortable and supportive is it?
Medium-firm, with a more responsive feel than fiber-only constructions. Unlike memory foam, natural latex doesn't need body heat to conform; it contours instantly to hips and shoulders and springs back as you move, which makes changing positions easy. The wool wrap adds a soft initial touch on top, and the pre-compressed cotton layers firm up gradually as the mattress breaks in. With no springs anywhere in the build, it's also quiet and transfers virtually no motion between sleepers.
Does it stay cool and breathable?
Yes. The wool actively manages humidity and temperature at the surface across seasons, the organic cotton's open fiber structure lets air move through the mattress, and the latex core's open-cell structure allows far better airflow than synthetic foams. Together the three layers prevent the heat buildup that plagues conventional foam mattresses.
Is it chemical-free and eco-friendly?
The mattress contains no synthetic foams, flame retardants, or chemical finishes. The cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers and left unbleached and undyed, the wool comes from ethically raised sheep on organic pastures and is processed without harsh chemical baths, and the latex is tapped from renewable rubber trees and made without petrochemicals or synthetic fillers, making it fully biodegradable. Fire safety comes entirely from the wool layer, so nothing toxic is sprayed or added anywhere.
What size and thickness options are available?
Sizes run from Cot through California King, with thicknesses from 3-inch and 4-inch shikibuton profiles up to 8 inches. As a guideline, the 5-inch and 6-inch versions flex well on bi-fold futon frames that convert between sofa and bed, while the 7-inch and 8-inch versions are the better fit for platform beds used purely for sleeping.
What frames can I use it on?
It performs well on platform beds, slatted frames, futons, and tatami mats, and can also be used directly on the floor. If you're using a slatted base, keep the gaps between slats to 2.5 inches or less so the latex core stays evenly supported.
Why does my mattress have marks or stress around the tuft points?
Hand tufting draws a needle through the full depth of the mattress, so a bit of compression, puckering, or light fiber pull at each tuft point is part of the construction, not damage. These points anchor the layers and hold up fine under normal use. What does warrant a message to us: open tears, broken seam stitching, or filling working through the fabric. Send photos if you spot any of those.
What does the mattress casing fabric feel like?
The casing is a heavy, durable-textured fabric, dense and tightly woven to contain the layered fill for years of use. Out of the box it feels firmer and coarser than the quilted top of a conventional mattress, and that's deliberate; it relaxes gradually as the mattress breaks in. Most owners add a fitted sheet or futon cover, so the casing texture isn't something you feel while sleeping.
How do I care for and maintain it?
Keep it on a breathable base and air it out periodically so the natural fibers can release absorbed moisture; the wool and latex both resist mold, mildew, and dust mites on their own, but airflow keeps everything fresh. Spot clean spills with a mild, natural solution and let the area dry completely.
Do I need to rotate or flip this mattress?
Yes, and during break-in treat it as mandatory rather than optional. For the first 90 days, rotate head-to-foot every week or two and flip every two to three weeks so the cotton layers compress evenly across both sides. Skipping this early routine is the most common reason a mattress settles unevenly. After break-in, a monthly rotation keeps wear distributed.
