Toki Mats is a mom-founded start-up that sells one-of-a-kind play mats made from non-toxic, natural materials. Cushier than carpet, and far easier to clean, these play mats offer little ones a safe and comfortable environment to bond and explore. Created by Eli Yonas, a mother and entrepreneur, the beloved business is bringing modern, reliable play mats to babies and toddlers all over the nation.
Yonas has made it her mission to create the safest, most comfortable play mats that are as functional as they are beautiful. The emerging company is bringing an innovative approach to its niche with plant-derived latex foam and two types of mat covers in organic cotton and vegan leather. The latex foam core creates a soft and bouncy feel that offers incomparable comfort and durability for the children using it. Both types of covers are fully removable and conveniently machine-washable. However, the newly-introduced vegan leather cover is entirely waterproof, allowing for mess-free play with a quick and easy cleanup. Along with the high-quality, durable materials and removable covers, the products are fully portable with their foldable design and built-in carrying handles. The combination of these unique features differentiates Toki Mats products from its competitors and makes the products truly usable everywhere for indoor and outdoor play.
Toki Mats was born in the midst of Yonas’ maternity leave, after she found herself in a predicament that many parents are familiar with. She had searched endlessly for products that met her expectations and standards when considering safety, effectiveness, and aesthetics, only to keep coming up short when it came to play mats. Dissatisfied with what the market had to offer, Yonas took it upon herself to fill that gap and create a product that she and other parents could wholly trust to be safe and comfortable for their babies.
Yonas couldn’t figure out how the existing options in one of the industry’s most heavily-used and crucially-designed niches could be so impractical for parents and children. To create the softest, highest quality, non-toxic play mat on the market, she conceptualized the model by keeping her own children’s safety at the forefront of her mind. Motivated and inspired by her own love as a mother, Yonas was able to earn the trust of other parents with the same values and concerns. Toki Mats is a company that thoughtfully and strategically crafts its products with a mother’s touch and warmth, as evidently seen in Yonas’ execution throughout the growth and development of her business.
Distinguished by the dense, springy cushioning that only latex foam can provide, Toki Mats’ products are built to last well beyond babyhood and for years on end. Based on customer feedback since the brand’s inception in 2017, families have responded positively to the soft, comfortable mats that support gross motor development and look beautiful in their homes. Parents love the modern colors and prints, while babies and toddlers are attracted to the colorful, playful designs. The socially and environmentally responsible effort has landed Toki Mats on viral lists ranging from “Newborn Must Haves” to “Products for Greener Parenting,” with many more publications praising their ongoing success. However, what excites Yonas and her team the most about the recognition is that she knows they have merely scratched the surface of the innovation she plans to continue bringing to the industry.
