Dwinguler Playmats Are Safe!

Up until 2011, parents breathed a sigh of relief at the mention of the EVA foam mats. They were soft and shock-absorbent enough to cushion kids as they rolled on them and played with their toys. Their construction did not hurt tender elbows and knees, they fell and tumbled. Parents had discovered a wonderful way to keep their kids safe and comfortable as they played. In short, foam mats were the ally they needed in bringing up happy, healthy kids. The ANSES report released on July 15, 2011, changed all that. ANSES was the French agency commissioned to conduct the study about the potential health risks of formamide exposure from EVA foam mats. Its report resulted in EVA foam mats being banned in France and Belgium. According to its findings, formamide, classified as a reprotoxic substance, adversely affected development in infants and affects reproductivity -- sexual function and fertility in adult males and females. Though the tests had only been conducted on rats, data from rats that were exposed to formamide throughout their lifetimes suggest a potential carcinogenic effect (tumors). More research was needed to make a confident assertion about this, but the potential carcinogenic effects of prolonged exposure could not be excluded, the report said. Formamide is used as a solvent, plasticiser or an additive in the chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics and polymer industries. Technically, formamide is not ‘used’ in the manufacturing process but is a ‘by-product’ of the process. This means manufacturers cannot be faulted when they say the chemical is not used in the production. Other independent studies were conducted that seemed to suggest that the risks were not as magnified as the ANSES report painted them to be, but they all generally agreed on some things:

• The greatest degree of formamide exposure came almost exclusively through inhalation. Exposure through sucking, chewing, or swallowing a piece of the mat was negligible.
• The highest levels of formamide emissions occurs in the first one or two weeks of use. After this, the amount of formamide reduces to almost negligible amounts. This means that if EVA foam mats are allowed to sit outside on the veranda or in a garage for a couple of weeks or more to “off-gas”, they would be considerably safer to use.
• Adults are almost never affected by formamide, but children were vulnerable to it..

Parents concerned about the health and safety of their children, parents started exploring other options such as cotton mattresses, but the cushioning that EVA mats offered could not be matched. It was against this backdrop that Dwinguler introduced a play mat that adhered to the highest degree of safety in play mats. The mats are free from formamide, harmful heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium, selenium, arsenic, barium, antimony or mercury, from toxic materials such as formaldehyde and toluene, from phthalate chemicals, and from endocrine disrupters. The play mats are extremely safe for kids and the environment. But it was not just the company’s publicity machine claiming these features. The mats have been laboratory tested and have passed the CPSIA and European Toy Safety Standards, making them high quality and safe. Safety also comes in the form of a non-slip surface that helped reduce minor falls and bumps. The superior padded construction of the Dwinguler playmats cushion tender knees, heads and wrists against serious injury in case of a fall. Parents worried about the offensive chemical odors from play mats were delighted to find the mats were pleasantly odor-free. In addition, the play mats were rich in colours, interesting graphics and educative elements. Kids found them visually engaging and they learned quite a bit from just hanging out on these lovely play mats. Parents can rest assured that when they purchased a Dwinguler Play Mat, they were buying the very best and safest one for their children. In buying one, you will be joining a growing number of parents across the world who have chosen to entrust their children’s health and safety into Dwinguler’s hands. From the day they made that decision, they have had no reason to regret it.