As one of the softest flooring solutions, foam flooring is popular for athletic and kids spaces as well as anti-fatigue mats, trade show booths, basements and even horse stalls and trailers. Modular foam mats have even made a splash in the flooring world as a high end pool decking solution.
The time comes when your baby turns into a toddler. Inevitably bruises happen. So you start looking around for safer, cushier surfaces for them to play on. Foam seems like the perfect bruise-free choice. But before you purchase, make sure you know what kind of foam your mat is made of.
Most foam is petroleum-derived. Some kinds are safer than others, and some contain chemical flame retardants that aren’t what you want your kids playing on or around. You can usually do a smell check on a foam product—if it smells strongly of chemicals, leave it on the store shelf. It could be PVC. EVA is widely considered the standard safe substitute for PVC. But a few years back there was a situation where formamide, a reproductive and developmental toxicant, was found in EVA foam, a byproduct of the manufacturing process. As a result it was strictly regulated for mats—specifically ones kids come into contact with, like puzzle mats–in certain European countries including Belgium and France, as well as in Taiwan.
100% EVA Foam mats Use multiple sets to cover larger areas promised Safe, soft,durable and easy to wipe clean with soap and water and easy to pack away when not in use.
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| Green Foam Mat used kids playground |
