Excerpt from a Recent Inquiry
“I’m thinking of laying some tatami in the bedroom as I sleep on a mattress and futon. What would be better out of igusa (soft rush) or washi (Japanese paper)?
I have a young baby so I’m worried about mites and mould.
I’m wondering if laying tatami down would address this.”
We can tell that you place the utmost importance in the care of your child.
Babies sleep a lot, constantly breathing at the lowest height near the floor.
The three worries with that are:
- Mites
- Mould
- And Dust.
About Mites and Mould
Tatami made from advanced materials, like our Tokyo Series (Resin) and Zen (Japanese Paper), does not contain the nutrients that cause mites or mould to begin with.
You won’t need to worry about any harm from them if using these tatami.
As for Igusa, there is a risk, but it’s generally safe.
Most mite and mould occurrences are when tatami
- Is in a room with poor sunlight exposure
- Has little to no ventilation
- Is in an unused room
- Is in a humid place on the coast or mountainside
- Is never cleaned
- Always has a futon spread out on top
The conditions and environments listed can lead to it happening.
With a bit of caution, mites and mould won’t happen.
- Keep the room adequately ventilated
- Moderately clean the tatami
- Fold the tatami away every morning
- Keep it out of humid rooms
Pretty simple, huh?
The solution is so normal that it’s anticlimactic, right?
But that’s really all it takes.
What About Dust??
With hard flooring, you get the image of dust swirling upon it, which I bet you don’t imagine with tatami.
It also needs diligent cleaning, but as it’s a room for your baby you probably already want to do so.
Basically, as long as you keep it clean, any flooring is fine.
BABY
Recommended for babies that have started crawling and walking. Works well as a play mat.
IGUSA
High-grade natural igusa tatami and all materials are produced domestically in Japan.
ZEN
Enjoy the texture of natural washi (Japanese paper), a Japanese made product used as the surface material in this series.
TOKYO SERIES
The application of high-grade igusa texture and breakthrough functionality
Classic Series
Traditional Cloth Edging Design
TOKYO TATAMI MAKER ships Japanese made tatami to U.S.A., Singapore, and other countries all over the world.
This exporting business is operated by TATAMISER Co., Ltd. with support from the Organization for Small & Medium Enterprises and Regional Innovation, which is an Independent Administrative Institution under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
[ Cases of tatami mat use by our customers ]
Classic Series