Have you spotted the playmat trend yet? Perfectly suited for minimalism and functionality fans, but also for bohemian lovers, playmats are here to stay. Our favourite aspect is their incredible versatility: you can put them in pretty much any room of the house, you can have fun combining different colours and prints and piling them on top of each other, and kids can use them for all sorts of purposes such as playtime, naps or reading.
However, it might not be so easy to find the right type once you’ve decided to purchase your playmat. The Dutch brand ByAlex is here to give us a solution by creating the most well-researched and highest quality mats one can find. Best of all, the founder and designer, Alex, has a great story and passion, which definitely shows in every item she presents to the public.
With a background and personal interest in sewing, Alex is an expert in the crafting part of the business. This has given her a deep appreciation for the amount of work and skill that goes into creating sewn goods, which is where her belief in fair and quality manufacturing comes from. When her initial project grew into the current company, she made sure every part of the process was both environmentally friendly and fair towards her employees.
The fabrics are imported from Spain and France, the mattress foam is manufactured locally in the Netherlands and the playmats are handcrafted by Dutch seamstresses who are paid a fair wage. You can follow the details of the entire process, including “meeting” the seamstresses, on Alex’s highly inspiring and beautifully curated Instagram profile.
Besides ethical concerns, Alex is also passionate about producing high-quality items, an aspect that makes any brand stand out when it comes to children’s furniture and toys. We care the most about our little ones’ safety and comfort, so it feels fantastic to know that there are designers out there who understand and share this concern.
As a mother of three, Alex knows this well so she made sure the covers are made with European OEKO-TEX® certified fabric, which means it is guaranteed to be both toxin free and environmentally friendly. Additionally, they have a practical side to them which is that they can be easily washed when the oh-so-common spills and stains of all sorts happen. For printed fabrics, you can easily remove and wash the cover in the machine. The plain ones are even easier to clean since they were created in a special fabric that only needs a cloth and some water to look great again. You can watch some videos on this topic if you scroll through their Instagram account.
As for the filling, Alex did a great amount of research on the topic and picked the highest quality, non-toxic cold foam made from natural materials in the Netherlands. It is also comfy and durable, so you won’t have to worry about constantly replacing it.
Finally, we need to point out the playmats’ aesthetic value. Besides trendy, unique prints and great possibilities for putting together different themes, some of the mattresses also feature three adorable buttons which give them a certain vintage vibe. You can also find cushions in the same fabrics on their online shop, which greatly expands their combining potential. Many of them would look great in adult spaces too, so make sure you have a look for everyone in the family!
What do you think of ByAlex‘s playmats? We are already making room for a few around the house, and we think our little ones will be delighted with the special space it will create for them to goof around, learn and rest. Best of all, they are spacious enough for a parent to fit too and spend lots of bonding time with the kids.
If you would like to see and read more, visit their fabulous website. And if you are visiting Market by Kleine Fabriek in Amsterdam, make sure to check them out during the upcoming tradeshow!
+ info: ByAlex
