SLEEPER HITS; FUTON MAKERS LOOK TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE BACKBREAKING BEHEMOTH SOFA-LOOK-ALIKE LOOK.

HFN: The Weekly Newspaper for the Home Furnishing Network, January, 2005

Byline: Karl Kunkel

The word "futon" hasn't exactly left the home-furnishings lexicon -- yet. But it is certainly getting challenged by terms such as "sleeper sofa," "sofa bed" and "sofa sleeper."

Those are the terms that producers of futon mattresses, futon frames and the mattress covers are loosely throwing around in their efforts to gain floor space on furniture store floors. Their goal: to edge out the backbreaking behemoth sofa-look-alikes that have traditionally done double duty as sofas and guest sleepers.

Many futon manufacturers -- mattress, frame and cover makers -- believe their key to growth will be to convince traditional furniture stores, department stores and big-box chains that they need to include futons on their floors,...