When we began to look for a spillmat to place under Tomato’s high chair, we had some specific ingredients that we wanted to avoid. Vinyl was at the top of the list. Vinyl releases VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) into the air in a process called off-gassing. Off-gassing affects our air quality and can lead to health issues such as headaches, respiratory problems and even some cancers. So, we try to keep these at a minimum in the house. We don’t use air fresheners, we use no-VOC paints when we paint and we look for non-vinyl substitutes to common kid items such as spillmats. I can see where vinyl has its merits with an easy to clean surface, but luckily we found an alternative that is safer for our home and health and is still high quality.
Mimi the Sardine has been a great addition to the lineup of eco-responsible companies that we use at home. I came across their spillmats when I was browsing the offerings at giggle.com and when I read the description, I knew that I had found my product. The spillmats, along with the other fabric products that they carry, are made from organic-acrylic coated cotton, which is produced in Sweden and meets the Oeko-Tex 100 Standard. Their products are manufactured outside of San Francisco and so it has the added bonus of being made domestically. The designs are fun and kid-friendly and they will be rolling out some new designs this spring. The spillmat can be utilized as both a help under the high chair and also as a craft tablecloth when your little one transitions through his/her eating learning curve. We didn’t mind paying the $40 price when we anticipated that it would last a long time. I am impressed by its durability and the ease with which you can throw it into the washing machine after dinner and then air dry it overnight so it is ready for breakfast. It washes up beautifully too and trust me, we put it through the ringer in the early and adventurous learning-to-eat solids time for the Tomato. Smooshed avocado, slimy banana, chicken curry, and beets have not been a problem!
My only drawbacks on the product were how sticky it was until after three or four washes and that the designs are often in low numbers or sold out. After washing the spillmat three or four times, the stickiness waned, but was still good enough to keep the high chair anchored in one spot. Also, doing some searching online helped us to track down a design which we really liked (the Cars one) and which was gender neutral (in order to further lengthen its usage). We ordered directly from their website, but you can also find them at their own store in Corte Madera, CA, at select Whole Foods stores and children’s boutiques (via their store locator), on giggle.com, or on Amazon.
 |
| Placemat |
 |
| Lunchbug |
 |
| Apron |
Take the time to look at their other items too. They carry bibs, placemats, backpacks, lunchbags, kids’ aprons (perfect for those crafting years!) tablecloths and treasure bags for kids. In their home section, they have adult aprons, tablecloths, runners, and placemats. I have a feeling we will be placing a placemat order soon, since they are also an alternative to vinyl or other plastic placemats. It’s great that we can continue to benefit from this company as our little one grows up.
{ 0 comments… add one now }