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Futons come of age
By Bethany Cortale
Princeton Business Journal
Monday, April 16, 2001
White Lotus Futon is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Owner Theodore Casparian owns 12 futons in his home. "They are all around my house, even my dog sleeps on a futon," he said, although he admitted to sleeping on a waterbed.
White Lotus Futon, which officially became White Lotus Home on Jan. 1 of this year, began in 1981 as a natural fiber bedding company on Chamber Street in Princeton.
In addition to futons, "White Lotus Home now offers a whole lot more, which is why the name changed," said Mr. Casparian. "We sell matching handmade pillows and comforters, furniture and accessories. Everything you need for a great room is right in the store."
In 1990, Mr. Casparian quit his job in the bond market on Wall Street. Having worked on Wall Street during the greedy 1980s, Mr. Casparian was well aware of "exploitive capitalism," as he refers to it, when companies place an emphasis on style over substance. Instead, he determined that he wanted to work with a company that accentuated substance over style.
At first, Mr. Casparian was interested in opening up a Ben & Jerry's ice cream store because he agreed with the consumer and environmentally friendly policies that Ben & Jerry's practiced. However, he said, a moratorium had been placed on new Ben & Jerry's fran chises.
It was during this time that he happened upon and bought the company that local customers are familiar with today. The store, with the same name, was original ly owned and operated by Lisa Denardo and was half its current size.
What attracted Mr. Casparian to White Lotus Futon was not greed, but its reputation for handmade quality and value, and its commitment to set a good example in the community.
Ever since Mr. Casparian was a young boy, he was conscious of the importance of sustaining a healthy environment. In fact, in the sixth grade, he won an award for educating students about the deleterious effects of dyes in water by getting students to sign a petition saying they would no longer use products that contained harmful dyes.
Many of the people who come to White Lotus Home enjoy buying the hand-stuffed and hand-stitched futons for their beauty, and for their versatility — futons can transform into beds and couches.
What Mr. Casparian loves about selling futons is the opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of owning a futon.
White Lotus Home uses unprocessed, natural cotton with no bleaches, dyes or fungicides. The futons contain mostly "green" cotton and some organic cotton. The pillows are stuffed with natural buckwheat and kapok filling.
In addition, the wood used for the furniture comes from American timber companies that acquire the trees from managed forests, where trees are often replanted in place of those that are uprooted. Mr. Casparian supports these companies because they try not to disturb the environment.
Mr. Casparian also makes certain that everything in his store can be recycled. Even the paper and envelopes he uses to advertise his products come from recycled materials.
Besides being good for the environment, futons seem to make good health sense, too. "Futons are chemical-free and provide enormous health benefits compared to the expensive, spring coiled mattresses found in most stores," said Mr. Casparian, who studied physics at Cornell University in Ithaca, N. Y.
Futons, which originated in Japan, evenly support and hold a person at all pressure points, unlike most spring matresses which frequently provide unbalanced support, he said.
nbsp;Mr. Casparian said that most of the expensive mattress companies, knowing the benefits of futons, usually have a small futon sewn on top of their mattresses for more comfort — these are called pillow top mattresses.
"We want to be a model," said Mr. Casparian. "We want our customer to walk, not only into our business, but into other businesses, with a discerning eye. We want our customers to have an educational experience at White Lotus Home."
Mr. Casparian and his wife, Elizabeth, have lived in Princeton since they purchased White Lotus Futon in 1990 and were expecting their first child. "We try to find ways to give back to the community," said Mr. Casparian. "Every single thing we do, we think what impact this will have; politically, sociologically and environmentally."
In addition to the products he sells, Mr. Casparian values his employees; he says they "are crucial to the store," and welcomes customers both young and old. White Lotus Home houses a play box of children's books and toys for children who come into the store with their parents. With children of his own, Mr. Casparian is aware of the importance of providing resources to families out shopping.
White Lotus Home has futons available from $95 to $595. The store is located at 202 Nassau St., Princeton. There also is a store location at 191 Hamilton St., New Brunswick. For more information, call (609) 497-1000 or see www.whitelotus.net.
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