I wish I would have researched about play mats before getting our first one. I didn’t even think that something where a baby is going to be lying and playing on every day could have toxic chemicals and be made with questionable materials. I decided I would find the safest mat out there and that’s how my non-toxic playmats post came to life. I’m still pretty passionate about this so I keep that post updated every 6 months.
When I first started my research I found Panda Mat. I was so excited because it was the only mat I could trust 3 years ago. Unfortunately when I discovered them they were sold out and weren’t sure if they would be back in production. Fast forward a few years later, they are back in production.
After writing a review for the Corkimat I reached out to makers of Panda Mat and asked them if I could have a mat for review since a lot of my readers were asking me specific questions about it. They agreed and now that we’ve tested the mat for over a month I want to tell you what I think about. First I’m going to tell you a little about the mat and why it’s one of my top non-toxic options and then I’ll give you my pros and cons.
From the manufacturer:
Our main product and the name of our company is the Panda Mat™. A safe, organic, non-toxic alternative to small tummy time mats, foam play mats and carpets. The Panda mat does not contain formamide, heavy metals, phthalates, formaldehyde, PFOA’s, PVC, harmful fire retardant chemicals or Azo Dyes. No off-gassing. No smells
Key Features:
- Large soft play mat 4′ x 6′
- Vivid educational illustration
- 100% GOTS certified organic cotton cover
- New Cushy 3D spacer fabric core
- 24 SF of safe play area
- Over 1″ thick. Durable.
- No chemical flame retardants
- No offgassing, No smells
The makers of Panda mat had their mat through a serious of testing to make sure it’s truly non-toxic. You can find their extensive results here but in summary this mat is free of anything that would harm your child. This is my favorite feature!
About the mat:
Assembly:
The mat comes in two parts, one is the GOTS certified organic cotton cover and the other part is the Cushy 3D spacer fabric core. To assemble it you just have to put the cover on the cushion part, kind of like putting a cover on a comforter. On one end the cover has 3 velcro closure that keep it in place. It takes about a minute to do it, so it’s very easy to assemble.
Cute design:
My first impression of the mat is that I loved the design. It’s so vibrant and pretty and immediately my toddler got on it and pretended to play with the panda. It is the prettiest of the non-toxic mats I’ve seen.
Thickness:
The mat has enough cushion so a baby can crawl on it and not get hurt, it would even cushion a fall. It is not the thickest mat I’ve seen but I think it’s thick enough. If you want something thicker than 1 inch, this might not be the mat for you but keep in mind that most mats are not much thicker than that. It’s very light weight which makes it very easy to move from one room to another. Also, the material that it’s made out of is very flexible so it’s easy to fold and store.
The lightness of it it’s a plus for me because I like to vacuum underneath the mats, so I can easily lift it with one hand while I vacuum with the other. Keep in mind that if you only grab the cover, the mat will move out of place so make sure you grab both the cover and insert when picking it up.
Removable cotton cover:
I love that the cover is easy to put on and remove. This is very helpful when the mat gets dirty, just throw the cover in the washer and it’s done. However if you want a mat that you can just wipe clean, this is not it. Sometimes my baby will drool a lot on it and I can’t just wipe it clean but I also don’t want to throw it on the wash just because of some drool. I end up just letting it air dry but sometimes I wish I could just wipe it off – so I guess this would be the only con for me.
Also because the cover of the mat is slightly bigger than the mat so it gets a little bunched up, so it’s not a totally smooth surface, however that’s not something that bothers me.
Pricing:
This mat is very well priced and on the lower range of the non-toxic mats. I think it’s well worth the price and I’m surprised it’s as big as it is considering the price is relatively low.
Also, if you buy the Panda Mat
Overall, I love this mat! My 3 year old as well as my 4 month old love it and play on it daily.
If I were to buy only one mat I would probably buy this one because it is non-toxic and it has a great price!
You can buy the mat Panda Mat
Do you have the Panda Mat? What do you think of it?
Hi, do you happen to have a link to the testing? The one in this post is broken. I am interested in seeing the report. Thanks for this post! It is very thorough.
Hi Dana! It seems their entire site is down and the mat is no longer sold on Amazon, which makes me think they might have stopped producing this mat. I’ll try to reach out to the owner and get back to you if I hear back from him. Thanks for brining this to my attention.
Thanks Carolina! I know that they were having difficulty with production. It’s a shame. The mat is great.
Yes Dana! I haven’t been able to get a hold of anyone. I think they’ve closed the shop. I’m so sad, it was a good mat!