The 10 Best Placemats
Special Honors
Martha Stewart If you're looking for some professional table dressing advice from someone who is both a world famous television personality and an entrepreneur worth hundreds of millions of dollars, head on over to Martha Stewart's website and get inspired. Sure, she's a convicted felon who's friends with Snoop Dogg, but she's also got a lot of great articles covering many aspects of domesticity. marthastewart.com
Ten Thousand Villages Although their selection of placemats might be small, perhaps their mission will drive you to look for more, since this organization is dedicated to creating long-term, fair trade relationships with artisans worldwide in order to bring you handcrafted goods that are sustainably sourced. Their stock is divided into relatable subsections, making their site an ideal place to find gifts for everyone tenthousandvillages.com
Editor's Notes
April 30, 2020:
Dressing up tables is a slippery slope we’re more than happy to help push you down. If you’re starting with placemats, don’t forget to consider other items you’ll want to coordinate with such as flat ware and tablecloths, not to mention the range of dinnerware sets out there, from clay to porcelain, and beyond. This is not even to mention runners and centerpieces, which we’ll let you figure out on your own, so as not to overwhelm.
Certain selections on this list such as the U'Artlines Crossweave, Bright Dream Woven Vinyl, and others are made with PVC, and we always like to make sure people are aware of what’s at stake. Although PVC has carcinogenic properties and is ultimately a pollutant, it is still considered safe enough that it is often used in the construction of a range of everyday items. Ultimately, it should not be ingested, and fumes from its ignition should not be inhaled. This should be easy to accomplish when using placemats, however, since these are intended for dining, and a good deal of food preparation depends on high heats, we want to make sure you stay extra vigilant and practice safety if you decide on any model that incorporates PVC. At the end of the day, we trust you to do your own research, reach your own conclusions, and take any risk to your health seriously.
On a lighter note, although cotton offerings like the DII Striped and Sticky Toffee Cotton are machine washable, they are also very likely to shrink, so be sure to only wash them with cold water and keep them away from heat sources when drying.