Non Toxic Play Mat

More About Safe Play Mats

Are foam play mats toxic?

Yes, most likely. While I’m tempted to say with certainty that all PU foam is toxic, I can’t quite say 100% yes because of the lack of transparency in the ever-changing ingredients lists. Foam ingredients are proprietary secrets, so that different companies can create different textures and types of foam without being copied. The little that we do know about the ingredients is unflattering when they are revealed, and they keep changing in reaction to updated health and environmental policy rules.

For example, the blowing agents used in foam manufacturing changed in 2020 from hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) because HFCs were causing environmental harm (now, the new HFOs may be banned because they qualify as a forever chemical in some states). The main catalyst used in foam, stannous octoate, was declared a reprotoxic 1B chemical that may damage unborn children (fetuses) and some (not all) foam started being made without it in 2023. Flame retardants are no longer allowed in some foam in some states as we’ve learned how harmful they are to the human body and the environment. The level of VOCs foam emits is also lower now than it used to be, because consumers were bothered by the fact that foam off-gasses toluene, xylene, and acetone, among many other compounds, and the industry adjusted to make their foams less smelly.

While all of the above certainly qualifies foam, in my opinion, as 100% yes, toxic — if you choose foam made without any of these things, is it still toxic? My hunch is: probably! There are very likely more unsavory chemicals being used in it now that we may discover and ban in the future. But, without knowing what they are, and how they interact with the body, I can’t say for sure. For this reason, I practice the Precautionary Principle with foam, and avoid it as often as I can.

What about memory foam play mats with third party testing, and no chemicals from the SVHC list?

SVHC means Substances of Very High Concern, and it is established by the EU’s ECHA program, which protects people and the environment from chemicals. Currently, there are 235 chemicals on the list, and more are nominated to be added every year. The two added in 2023 were toxic for reproduction, and both chemicals are commonly used in inks, toners, and in making plastic products.

This does mean that a play mat made prior to 2023 of plastic or foam, with a printed pattern surface, could have made this exact claim — “non-toxic, with nothing from the SVHC list” — and had these two chemicals in it. For this reason, I’m always much more interested to understand what is in something— a transparent, complete list of ingredients— rather than what is being left out.

In general, I think small steps and progress are more important that perfection when it comes to material health. However, in the case of play mats, I don’t feel that way, for two reasons: first, it’s babies and little kids that are being affected, not adults. Second, when it comes to petroleum-based materials like polyurethane foam and PVC, with their bad history of additives, I get frustrated with anything other than total transparency.

To me, it feels more like healthwashing. I understand if you feel completely different, and think it’s good to support companies that are making these small steps in the right direction while still offering convenient features like waterproofing that foam and plastics provide. I always support your decision, and sometimes an imperfectly healthy one does make sense for many other reasons, like cost, convenience, or aesthetics!

Are PVC play mats safe?

No. Even a PVC play mat that has been tested to be free of a list of phthalates (which are the chemicals traditionally used to soften PVC), I wonder what was used to soften the PVC. Was it a regrettable substitution, just as disruptive as a phthalate, or truly safe? Regardless of what chemicals were used or how safe it is to the baby or child playing on it, PVC is one of the most toxic substances to our planet and the people making it. I don’t believe there is ever a truly non-toxic PVC, and that any claims to the contrary are healthwashing.

Is EVA foam safe for babies and kids?

Maybe. EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) is used to make shower curtain fabric, and in that context, it’s pretty non toxic, as found by various agencies including the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), OSHA, or National Toxicology Program (NTP).

But of course, EVA foam is different; it’s a much thicker version of EVA fabric, and the main chemical people are concerned about is formamide, which is added to make it foam-like and soft. It’s not safe at high doses, which is a problem for any workers making it without adequate protection— and can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled, and ingested, potentially causing various problems.

What is TPU?

TPU stands for thermoplastic polyurethane, and it is a plastic-based film that is used as a waterproofing fabric in play mats and mattress protectors.

How is TPU made?

Like PU (polyurethane, the foam found in mattresses), TPU is also created from two basic building blocks — polyols and diisocyanates (you can watch my 60 second video about what these are and how foam is made here). But, there are a few important differences. First, the two building blocks bond together permanently in a much more predictable and controlled way. Once they’re bonded together (“cured”) , they don’t un-bond. This is less true for regular polyurethane, which has additives to poof it up and soften it, and having uncured ratios of these chemicals can cause some health problems.

Also, new forms of TPU can be biodegradable, made with B. subtilis, a soil-based probiotic bacteria— or can even use cornstarch to replace the petroleum-derived polyols.

Is TPU film safe in a play mat?

Yes, a thin layer of TPU film is safe, as once its made, it is relatively chemically inert. TPU film is healthier than vinyl and PFAS, and protects your play mat from mold, sweat and bacterial build up— so something I think is absolutely worth having in the context of mattresses, play mats, and pet beds for these health reasons. While it’s always better in the long run for human health to shift away from petroleum-based products, which is where polyols and diisocyanates come from— it’s not always feasible to go with the most natural waterproofing solution, which is wool. A biodegradable TPU film is always best, and play mats with GOTS, OEKO TEX or other health-centered certifications will also ensure it’s safer.

What are TPU foam play mats made of?

TPU foam is a foamed, or expanded, version of TPU. Just like EVA foam is different than the relatively non-toxic EVA sheets (like what a shower curtain is made with), TPU foam is different than the relatively non-toxic TPU film. That’s because they have to get puffed up, which usually requires some kind of chemical reaction.

Regular TPU stands for thermoplastic polyurethane, and is a thin film that is often used as a waterproofing fabric in mattress protectors. Like PU (polyurethane, the foam found in mattresses), TPU is also created from the same two basic building blocks — polyols and diisocyanates. When pressure, air (usually nitrogen gas or CO2), and other foaming agents are added to TPU, its volume is expanded by 5-8x, and it turns into E-TPU. The resulting foamy material is used in play mats, gymnastic pads, and sneakers.

Are TPU foam play mats safe?

Probably not, but it is possibly safer than regular PU foam. Here is why:

The two building blocks, polyols and diisocyanate, bond together permanently in a more predictable way when making TPU than when making regular PU. TPU is made firmer or softer based on the softness, hardness, and lengths of the polyols and diisocyanate building blocks themselves— simply tweaking the ratio allows for better control of the final result. This is less true for polyurethane foam, which uses additives for changing firmness or softness.

However, the process of making TPU foam from TPU does require foaming. The foaming process is generally considered less intense than making a PU foam, which has so many different applications, feels, and marketing techniques to fulfill (cooling gel mattresses, for example!) But, TPU foam is harder to make than regular PU foam, and one technique recently developed to make it less collapsible was by introducing nanofillers into the mixture, which are not good for humans or the environment. This results in a non-recyclable version of TPU foam. While of course, no TPU foam manufacturer shares all of their ingredients, it is important to know that foamed TPU can still utilize many of the same additives that regular PU foams do— flame retardants, UV stabilizers, and fiberglass.

New forms of TPU can even be recyclable or biodegradable, if they’re made with B. subtilis, a soil-based probiotic bacteria, or cornstarch, to replace the petroleum-derived polyols.

So, while it may be safer than regular polyurethane (PU) foam, without 100% ingredient transparency or certifications, it’s always possible it may contain chemicals with a less-safe profile. If you choose TPU foam, make sure it doesn’t require a Prop 65 warning, and better yet, if it has OEKO TEX certification, it may also be a safer choice.

What is safer for a play mat, TPU or EVA foam?

I don’t know. You’ll see claims both ways, usually by companies making play mats with one or the other, but the reality is, we never know all of the ingredients involved to transform the relatively safe TPU or EVA into their foam versions. While formamide is a known part of the EVA foaming process, the TPU foaming process has just as much potential for chemicals of concern— I worry that we will find out there is an equivalent of formamide in the TPU process someday. My best guess is that they are both slightly better than choosing memory foam or PVC mats, based on the logic in the answer immediately above this.

What does GOTS certified mean?

GOTS is short for the Global Organic Textile Standard.

It is the gold standard 3rd party certification for organic fabrics made from natural fibers like wool, cotton, linen, and others.

Fabric with the GOTS-certified organic label means that at least 95% of the starting fibers are certified organic, and ensures that the fabric remains healthy throughout the entire manufacturing process. This means the dyes and other chemicals used are safer for human and ecological health than standard fabric processing methods. No harmful finishes may be added to the final product.

What is latex?

Latex is the same thing as natural rubber. It comes from the Hevea brasiliensis tree. It is a milky white liquid that can be baked to form a springy, foam-like substance. It is often confused with synthetic (lab-made) latex, which is the chemical mixture styrene-butadiene. However, natural rubber latex is completely plant-based.

What is GOLS certified latex?

GOLS, the Global Organic Latex Standard, is the gold standard 3rd party certification for organic rubber latex. Latex with the GOLS-certified organic label means 95% of the final product is organic latex, and also ensures that the processing stages (mixing, baking, etcetera) of the product are safe for human and ecological health.

For GOLS certified Dunlop, the latex must be from an organic latex tree farm, grown without pesticides. The latex rubber “milk” from the tree is poured into a mold, mixed with Zinc, Sulfur, and soaps to make it a “gel,” then is baked into shape. It’s washed to remove impurities, and then is baked again to dry it out. This process has been used for about 100 years, and the result is a dense foam. To meet the the GOLS standard, it must be composed of at least 95% organic latex. Because the Dunlop process uses minimal ingredients, and is from organic trees, it can meet this requirement.

Are Gathre play mats non-toxic?

Gathre mats are made of memory foam and a vegan leather (AKA polyurethane plastic) outer, so I don’t recommend them, even though they are advertised as “free of toxins.”

Are House of Noa mats non-toxic?

Some of their mats are made of EVA foam, which are an OK-ish choice (see why above), but others are made of memory foam and vegan leather (AKA polyurethane plastic.) I don’t recommend them, either.