The best baby floor mat: How to choose a non toxic baby play mat in 2022

Finding the best baby floor mat is an overwhelming task! I have done all the research for you so you don’t have to try and choose your non toxic baby play mat out of the thin air! So much information out there about the ingredients in play mats is misleading an full of mis-representative marketing talk.

You have to be aware of what you need to be looking for when you are trying to chose your baby floor mat. There are some materials that you should definitely be avoiding either because of harmful chemicals in their manufacture, or because they are too soft to be safe.

What should you avoid when choosing the best non toxic baby floor mat?

Sadly, most of the commonly available baby floor mats and playmats are made of foam, or more specifically EVA foam which is widely touted as safe. EVA foam mats contain a chemical called Formamide which research shows is toxic to reproduction. ( 1 )

Many cheap baby playmats are made from PVC. Healthy Building Network’s report regarding phthalate-free PVC says in summary “even without phthalate plasticizers, the lifecycle of PVC has inherent toxicities that cannot be avoided” and plasticizers – phthalates or not – will leach from PVC products in to the air. ( 2 )

Most of the big box stores, or online baby stores that sell cheap baby floor mats, sell ones that are made out of either PVC or EVA. Neither of which I would feel comfortable putting my tiny vulnerable baby on.

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What should non-toxic baby floor mats be made out of?

Ideally you would be looking for a baby floor mat that is made from natural, organic materials. Sadly, these days, these are hard to find!

Materials that are totally safe include:

• Natural cork when it has not been treated, glued or sealed
• Organic GOTS certified cotton
• Organic GOTS certified cotton wadding
• Good old fashioned natural rubber

Materials that are considered safe by the industry include:

• Hypoallergenic Polyester padding
• PE foam
• PU leather

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The best non-toxic baby floor mats for 2022

 

My Pick – The Cream Haus Folding mat

Why I chose it – it is a great size, it folds up out of the way, the company has done their research and regularly test their products. It is the only non toxic foam pad on this list. Being foam, it is much thicker, and better suited to protect your baby from your hard floors. Buy it here from Cream Haus

 

 

The Cream Haus folding mat review

Size: 51″ x 79″ x 1.6″

Overview:
Folds up for easy storage

Perfect for all ages 0+

1.6 inch (4cm) thick padding

Reversible surface (Backside: Solid Cream)

Water resistant surface for easy wipe clean

Safety Features:
Extra thick non-toxic PE foam for shock absorption

Hypoallergenic

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified

USDA certified biobased PU leather cover

No off-gassing: Free of formamide, PVC, EVA, fire retardants, and other VOC’s
Skin irritation tested on human

5-step washing & steaming process to make the surface clean and soft

My review

Nice and sturdy constriction, well made. Nice and thick and firm foam to stop ouchies from banging babies head on the floor. My favorite of the bunch.

>>>>> Check it out here

Pillobebe Organic Cotton Play Mat Review

Size:  55″ x 55″ for the cover, 52″x 52″ for the insert

Features:
Eco-friendly

FREE of Formamide, Fire-retardants, PU, PVC, BPA, BPS, Formaldehyde, Phthalates, Lead, and harmful VOCs

Facing: 100% GOTS Certified Organic Cotton Designer print

Backing: Silicon Anti-slip silicon dotted cotton

Removable cover for easy washing

Invisible zipper at the bottom (Hidden closure system)

Batting: 100% Organic Cotton, appx. 1/2″ thick

Soft and clean material for your baby to play anytime and anywhere

Top stitched for durability and finish look

Handmade in USA YAY!

My review

This mat is perfect if you want a truly natural and organic floor mat for your baby. The non slip backing works really well, and it helps stop the mat from being scrunched up when baby moves. I would say that if you have a hard floor, get the double batting option.

>>>>> Grab it here

If you want something more dense and protective you will need either the cream haus folding mat, or the pillobebe corkimat (below).

Pillobebe Corkimat Review

Size: expandable – each tile is 19″x19″x1″ or the plus sized ones are 24″x24″x1″

Features:
Premium Handmade, Nontoxic, Certified Organic Cotton Baby/Kids Play Mat

Removable cover: 100% GOTS Certified Organic Cotton

Padding: Hypoallergenic Polyester padding + 100%

Modules are easily connected by Velcro

Silicon anti-slip feature on the bottom

Easy to stack, travel and store

Multifunctional: Can also be used as a headboard cushion, Adult/Kids exercise mat, Yoga mat, etc.

Handmade in USA

My Review:

The big strength with this baby floor mat is your ability to expand it, and at the same time, it packs up in to a nice small space. It is also 100% non toxic, and beautifully well made. It definitely earned its place in my top 3!

>>>>> You can get one here

Tribe West Floor Mats

Size: 4′ x 6′

Features:

Water and stain resistant & washable color patterns

Non-slip

Non-toxic

Large, portable infant mat.

Anti-static

100% Free from any toxins including pthalate and BPA.

Antimicrobial, hypoallergenic.

Made from natural rubber

Fair trade and eco friendly

My Review:

I love the ethos of this baby floor mat product. It is made of natural products in a fair trade environment. The people that make it are supported with the proceeds of the sale. AND it will eventually biodegrade when your family is finished with it. It is nice and big, and perfect for any home.

>>> You can get one here

 

Baby Care Play Mat 

Size:  82.7 x 55.1 x 0.5 inches

Features: 

Hypoallergenic

Waterproof and wipeable -no mess stuck between puzzle pieces! Roll them away for easy storage, flip them over to use the other side, or take them with you on picnics and camping trips.

Free of any potentially harmful materials such as BPA, EVA, plasticizers, and phthalates

Made with 100% recyclable materials to keep both baby’s habitat and our environment safe.

My Review:

While these mats are not quite as clean, green and organic as the above 4, they are truly non-toxic, and they have thought ahead to make sure that they are recyclable at the end of the mats life. Not as thick as some of the other mats, but still well padded, warm and soft.

>>>> Get one here

Famokids Baby Play Mat

Perfect for Tummy Time, this soft foam mat is 4′ x 6′ and made of expandable interlocking soft floor tiles.

If you are looking for a large foam mat for a floor gym, EVA foam is probably the next safest option, unlike polyurethane foam, EVA foam doesn’t really stink of toxic chemicals. This baby mat is inert and non toxic once it has off-gassed, so leave it somewhere unwrapped for a week or two before you use it and then rest easy that it is safe for your baby.

A foam play mat can help keep your little one up off the cold, hard floor, and make a much nicer play experience. These comfort designed mats are beautiful, and would be at home in any modern designed decor.

An expandable foam mat is perfect to be used as a baby crawling mat, as you can add it it as they move on from their play gym and start exploring.

 

Choosing the best baby floor mat for your baby: How to choose a non toxic play mat

Overall I found that all of these products are very well constructed and worth the investment. I understand that these mats are not cheap, but if you have a hard floor (and lets face it, most floors are pretty hard!) it is worth investing in a good quality mat that will last you for years and protect your baby.

Don’t be sucked in to the cheaper, not so safe baby floor mats. With all the toxins we have in our world, this is one small thing you can do to minimize your vulnerable baby‘s exposure to all those horrible, hormone altering, cancer causing nasties!

Best materials for a non toxic play mat

A quick search for foam baby mats gives many results made from various plastic and rubber materials. It is so hard to know which ones are safe.

PVC

Many traditional kids play mats are made of PVC, which is known to be one of the most toxic forms of plastic.

EVA

EVA, which may contain formamide however, EVA foam products are tested rigorously to ensure safety for all consumers, especially children and babies. That’s because consumer safety groups categorize EVA foam materials like play mats and tiles as toys so they have a very very high standard to meet (4).

TPU

TPU, on the other hand, is a baby foam play mat material that is a preferred choice of parents everywhere. The claims are that TPU foam is non-toxic, lead-free, latex-free, and free from phthalates and formaldehyde AND formamide.

Memory foam

Memory foam products have increased in popularity over the last few years, and many sleepers with hip, back, or shoulder pain find that memory foam offers unparalleled pressure relief. However, some sleepers still feel hesitant to opt for a memory foam mattress, citing concerns over the health and safety of the chemicals used to make memory foam.

Memory foam is a type of polyurethane foam. As with all foams, memory foam compresses under pressure. The difference with other polyurethane foams is that memory foam also contains added chemicals that increase its viscosity and elasticity, hence its alternate name, viscoelastic foam. Memory foam would not be my first (or any) choice for a baby play mat, because while it is soft, its squishiness can be a real hindrance and possible safety issue for babies that cannot move well yet, it would be useless to learn to walk on, and on top of that the gasses that it puts out are not what you want near your babys face.

How to choose a non toxic baby play mat

If you have a hardwood floor, getting a soft baby play mat added to your baby registry would be a really wise move. Try to choose one that is organic, natural materials if you can. If your budget doesn’t really stretch that far, a EVA or TPU foam will also work.

Avoid memory foam and PVC play mats because of their toxic chemicals, and unhelpful textures. A foam mat under a floor play gym will keep baby warmer and more comfortable, which in turn will help encourage them to have more floor time and grow physically stronger with all that practice!