I don't think the smell is limited to Fiskars mats. I have an Olfa mat and it smelled pretty bad when I brought it home. I hate to think about what the chemical fumes have done to my life expectancy.

Call the company - they may have a simple remedy.

I bought their big mat and mine smelled like skunk for a while too! And even though I have only cut out a couple of baby quilts on it, there is a line where two cuts were parallel and close together and a sliver of the mat came off like a wedge. I have had my other mat for years and not had that happen. I only got the new mat so that I would have a bigger cutting surface.

The smell of my new one nearly knocked me out, but the good news is that it does wear off. I put it outside on sunny days, and also stored in my very chilly attic when I wasn't using it. As for a cancer risk, I wouldn't go outside and breathe air if I worried too much about that. Our environment is full of carcinogens!

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I too have had that happen to a new mat.....took it back to JoAnns with the receipt and they replaced in with no questions asked. The replacement mat has been perfect for over a year now. Must have been something in the water...VBG!!

In addition to a large Olfa, I have one of those turquoise, padded bottom June Tailor mats 12 x 18, the lines have nearly been eradicated with all the cutting, but guess what, the seriously cut surface holds the fabric like nothing else! I had purchased a new one, (stlil in the wrapper). It is so handy for all my pressing and small cutting needs. Other than that I haven't purchased a mat in a long time. NO funky smell!
Pat

I had bought a Fiskars mat several years ago. It was a folding mat and I thought it would be great to bring to classes. It smelled like a skunk too, I tried everything to get rid of the smell. Finally I just returned it to the store. They took it back without question (I mean really, you could smell it without trying). Now I only buy Olfa mats and never have a problem with smells. I would consider returning it to the store.

I have a lot of surfaces to cover, and I have been quilting for 30 years. I have had every brand except the blue one. Right now I have a Fiskars, an Olfa, a Salem (Marti Mitchell-which I like the best), and some brand that I got at the sewing expo with my 72"cutting board.

The Salem was the only one that didn't stink. The smell goes away, though not as fast as you would like.

And the only one that doesn't cut grooves is the 72". But it is made out of a harder plastic, and the rotary blade can slip, so I put the Salem on top of it. It is translucent, so I can see the lines on the big mat, too. The Salem is 36 x 24 and this is my work horse. I replaced it in Jan. after years of hard use.

You may have to try them all before you find the one you like best. My Fiskars is my second favorite. It's sturdier than my Olfa.

I bought a gingher on sale with a coupon...self healing my butt! My fiskar was so much better!!! Plus I like the
number and diagram layouts better....

My Fiskars mat stunk like a skunk for more than a year. Whenever it was not in use I kept it hanging in the garage. Thankfully it is finally housebroken. The next time I buy a mat is will get the sniff test!