ArtsyOne

So glad for this thread, as I'm in the market for a new cutting mat. My Dritz is 35 years old and although I still like it, there are areas where I have big cuts.
As an aside - I bought a shower curtain with a map of the world on it and it smelled like I imagine the cutting mats must smell. I soaked it in my tub, I hung it out in the sunshine, I scrubbed it with dishwasher detergent and it still smelled. When one thinks about the chemicals that must be outgassing, it's probably dangerous to have these types of plastics in the house. (I threw out the shower curtain.)

quilterpurpledog

I have Olfa mats in several sizes and have never had a problem with them. I have worn a couple of 24 X36 inch ones out over many years of quilting. I keep going back to Olfa. I have friends who have other brands and complaints.

CR

I purchased an Olfa because they say they are the best; I ended up wrapping it in news paper and taping cardboard around that and I left it in my garage for over a year. It still has a slight smell when I cut on it but it's way better than when I purchased it. Doesn't Olfa know that people don't want their homes to smell like skunk?

QuiltnLady1

I bought an OLFA mat from JA's with a coupon -- it only had a faint smell but it made me stick so I shoved it behind the china closet and it is fine now. I bought this mat https://www.amazon.com/US-Art-Supply...s=cutting+mats in the pink one side and blue the other -- the physical size of the mat is 24x36 but the measurements go to 23x35. It works for me since my table is 24x36. It had no smell when I got it a couple of years ago and it still looks like new.