Officially disappointed with 'The Mat'. - Page 3

Then why is there no information on her site about this.

NO, it isn't. The Mat is food safe, the Wallie world one is not. And I have both The Mat and the plastic sheets you mention. It feels different and it SMELLS different, definitely way less chemically smelling. I am amazed that people can trust that stuff after all the news about all the other non food stuff China is sneaking into the food products they make. I wouldn't trust it just for that reason alone.

And I have said before, would I pay a few extra dollars to support a US company manufacturing something totally made from US products? A definite big YES!!!

I used The Mat to make my latest and first wedding cake shown in my phoots. It was my first wedding cake, so I was very stressed about making it. The Mat worked like a charm. I must have rolled out the fondant at least 6 times. One for the board, one to experiment on how much I needed for the bottom layer and twice for the top. It worked so well that I rolled it just a little too thin. It stretched too much and I had to reroll and recover. I just loved the panic look my DH would get the first couple of time I just picked up The Mat with the fondant sticking to it and held it up to put on the cake. The first time I thought he was going to have a heart attack on the spot.

And less shortening is best, just like the OP said.

I'm sold on it and I am even thinking of buying another just to use as a cover for my counter. I fear that wiping down the granite all the time is wearing away the sealant and I want to protect it with food safe products.

I have no idea why you are so hot to know exactly how they made it and what it's made out of to make it food safe. I'm pretty sure you've posted this same "argument" in other posts about The Mat...................

Sweetwise really has gone out of their way (in other posts) to explain what they did and why they did it--without giving away proprietary secrets.

They'd have to be pretty dumb to explain, in a public forum, EXACTLY what they did. It surely cost them $$$$$$$$$$$ for the development, analysis, and production of the product. They did have to buy 5000 UNITS of the stuff for the first order in order to make the product cost effective. Sheesh, what more do you want????????????

If you're that concerned about being "scammed" into buying a .50 piece of WalMart vinyl being passed off as a food safe, just don't buy it, but to continue to question their integrity because they won't spill their guts to molify a few doubters is just wrong.

MHO
Rae

Good gravy, people, it's $15. Just order it and know that you're food safe. Done and done.

I only read the first page, but I have to give my feedback also.

This week, I was ready to THROW MINE IN THE TRASH. It is a magnet for every piece of anything flying in the air. I seasoned mine the first time and LOVED IT. Went to use it the second time and it wouldnt roll the fondant...wouldnt budge at all. So I washed it REALLY GOOD and put shortening on it AGAIN. It worked good THAT TIME. It seems I HAVE TO use shortening on it ALL THE TIME or it doesnt do crap. The fondant also does not want to come off like the first poster also mentioned. Several times now I just opted to go the old way of rolling my fondant because this was so disappointing. It also doesnt store well for me, It wont unroll well for me and it has ripples all in it, no matter how I try and roll it. I just have a serious issue with it being a magnet for lint and hair. I feel like I have to be in a clean room to use it. If I could go back in time, I wouldn't order it. Also, nothing personal. I agree with the first poster 100%. Even my husband who is STRONG had trouble rolling it out. The only thing I like is there is no mess of pwd sugar or corn starch.

Good evening all!
Just back from a long day out and I have seen this is still going back and forth so I will add a final word towards the difference.............
you can "clearly" see that The Mat has a blueish tint and I agree that it with earlier poster about the smell as it actually smells "clean" to me. I am trusting that Sweetwise has done their homework and they are selling a valuable product to those that want to know that they are using a food safe mat. I too, also love the fact that I am supporting an American company.

For all of the users out there having problems; I am sorry to hear that. I wish I had the answer as to what is different between the people loving it and those that don't. Maybe the type of fondant??? Not really sure about that but so far I have used Fondarific, Duff, Satin Ice, homemade gumpaste and mixtures of the above. All with equal success. Good Luck to all, hope you can work out the kinks.

To close, I will say again, that I just love The Mat!

PS I also bought the mini mat for making flowers petals and such and keeping them from drying out.

I have a question:

You know the flap on the Wilton practice boards? Or even the Wilton Practice boards itself? Is that vinyl? Is it food safe?

I'm asking because it never occured to me. WHen I Google "Food Safe Vinyl"....I can't find anywhere that claims they make "food safe vinyl".

It's perplexing.

Mini mat? I don't see this on website. Where can i get this?

I guess you'd need to check with Wilton on that.

They do market it for use with items that "can" be eaten.............

I'm guessing that "food safe vinyl" is actually called something else in the industry. I googled it, too, and found nothing.

Perhaps SweetWise really broke ground in developing this, or else they found a similar product (having had regular vinyl analyzed) and simply market it as "food safe vinyl" because that's what it looks like, acts like, and feels like.

Rae

I would hope "The Mat" is a new way of making vinyl that is food safe.

I recently threw out a bunch of vintage Tupperware cups and Kool-Aid (vintage) cups that my kids loved, but I knew they were breaking down and becoming toxic.

Normally, I roll out everything on butcher paper, but I'd love to have something easily cleanable and not so wasteful. And butcher paper gets expensive!

Not only that....I teach an after school class with around 22 kids (average) and I need something to keep the powdered sugar dust down and the toxin level minimal as well.

I am definitely considering "the mat"....wondering if I can cut it into pieces to accomodate my entire class.

Sorting out vinyls (lots of shower curtain talk, too):

http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/SortingOutVinyls.html

http://www.brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/36516.aspx

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/13/local/me-showercurtain13

http://www.greenyourdecor.com/512/non-toxic-showering-peva-shower-curtains-from-vitafutura/

http://www.greenyourdecor.com/524/non-toxic-showering-part-ii-peva-shower-curtains-from-ikea/

Yes it can definately be cut....you may ask them about buying a quantity of "mini mats"

They (as far as I know) are going to start selling the "mini" mat. They did sell me one as I believe there was something about the mini in a video or something that I read and I specifically asked to buy one. I do love the idea of this because I can cut out items and leave them under it so they do not dry out (just like the Wilton practice board but better)...you can also make quick rose petals by placing balls of gumpaste and pushing and spreading them out thin to the edges with your thumb or fingers (hope that makes sense)

@ Suzisweet - (blue waves hello)

Suzi - any chance you could post the measurements of the smaller mat for me please..
I am thinking this would be very handy for me... thanks petal.
Umm, and a link to the video again - i have seen it on another thread - but irrkkk can't find it

I remember hearing and watching her say you don't roll straight persae but off to the side - that i do already and it surely makes a difference, for getting your [i][i]medium [/i][/i]round - its quicker also.

Thankyou...

Bluehue.

When you roll on shortening, the fondant tends to "hydroplane" along on top of the surface and settle back down in areas, trapping air. When it's "sealed" to a surface (without sticking), it doesn't float and lift and let anything under it. It's like tires on a wet road basically.

Yeah I had my fondant "sealed" to the surface.......but then I couldnt get it off lol..............I think no matter what you use, something can always go wrong..........too much moisture in the air....a bad batch of fondant...whatever....we all have these things at one time or other....