Stuffing requirements for organic cotton futons and organic pillows
"How much stuffing do I need for a futon?"
That's a question we hear all the time around her, and our typical response is indeed correct, even if it isn't as specific as you might prefer: "It depends on what size of futon, how thick you want it to be, and how tightly packed you want the stuffing to be. You may choose to put natural latex, organic wool stuffing, or another filling material in the futon in addition to the organic cotton stuffing -- these different additions give different properties to the futon and also, of course, reduce the amount of cotton that you need. One option is to find a futon that you like (size, thickness, and overall feel) and weigh it, which should give you a fairly accurate idea of your stuffing needs."
We finally got smart, though, and asked our local organic futon maven, the doyenne of sustainable pillows (including gorgeous organic meditation cushions), Lois Hamamoto of Sachi Organics. Lois generously shared the knowledge she's gained from years of working with organic cotton stuffing, saying:
"we go by height rather than weight. We do, however, have a general and flexible weight for each size, and they are as follows:
twin 38 - 42 lbs
double 55 -57 lbs
queen 60 - 65 lbs
king 110 - 120 lbs
For the pillows, we weigh the cotton batting so this is easier:
standard 2lbs
queen 2.5 lbs
king 3 lbs
I hope this helps!"
Upon further questioning, Lois added:
In addition to the cotton, we add 2 layers of wool (one top and one bottom) to each futon. This adds to the loft and the general height so that the futons come out at 6" in height. Each layer of wool is about 1" thick (will compress to half that height when stuffed) so the total height increases about 1", resulting in 6" overall. The futons will look thicker and will compress down as the casing is put on.
That's a lot of stuffing, isn't it? If the whole project seems a bit overwhelming we do recommend contacting Lois and the rest of the ethical, talented people at Sachi Organics. And if you still want to make your own, you'll need to decide between our Futon-Grade Organic Cotton Stuffing, our more refined Organic Cotton Stuffing/Organic Cotton Batting, and our Organic Wool Stuffing - Bolus. (Yes, you're allowed to use a combination of two or more types; we won't tell on you!)