Has anyone heard if the Salem Cutting Mats by Southstar Supply Company are any good? I did read a comment from one of the members and looked it up. The only reason I ask is because I need a new mat and it has to be shipped. This company claims that a rolled up mat will flatten back out by using a hair dryer and they will not warp. I love my Olfa mat but I need a new one as the one I have is warped on the lower edge of the mat. I am afraid to order an Olfa by mail for fear it will be warped and I will not be able to fix it.

What a blast from the past! When I took up quilting in the Dark Ages, Salem mats and Salem Rules were all that were available. No grid on the mats, one color (green), and the Salem ruler had angles for every possible use. They were truly multi-purpose! If it's the same as I had, they made great tools! Life was so much simpler then!

If the very old green , non-gridded mat I have is a SAlem, and I think it is, they are good mats. I've probably had mine over 30 years and I am still using it. I would love a new gridded one though. I don'T know anything about rolling them.

I have ordered 2 Olfa mats via mail from 2 different places and they both arrived in perfect condition. I think they were wrapped in plastic and then boxed.

Good luck!

I don't know about Salem mats, but I would suggest a Martelli mat(www.martellinotions.com). They are expensive, but they do not warp - even in the heat. My SIL and I both love ours.

I won Olfa mats on eBay for a local non-profit. They were shipped flat.

I think an old clear mat I have is a Salem mat. It's okay, but I prefer the green Olfa mats. The lines markings on the Olfa are much more refined than on the Salem; the unmarked side of the Salem is very rough. I would never mix pieces cut on both mats; I'm sure the cuts would not match because of the difference in line widths.

Are you sure mats would be sent rolled up? I'm pretty sure they're all mailed out flat these days. You could email or call the company before ordering, to find out.

I bought two Salem mats at the AQS Quilt Show recently. I got the 12" rotating mat and a 15" x 22". So far Im pleased. They do get the cutting lines like any other mat, though. At the show, I did notice the larger mats rolled up into about a 6 to 8 inch diameter. I would think you could lay one out with the right side down and that it would eventually flatten out.

Gee, thank you all for your responses. If they ship the Olfa mat flat then that would be a solution for me.
I cannot buy mats here in Argentina, they don't sell them. But my DMIL and DSIL are going to visit my niece in Florida in October or November so I can order the mat on line and have it sent to her house and they can bring it back with them, in the box, when they come.

Linda, thanks for your response. I contacted their customer service and they said you can use a fine sandpaper to get rid of the cutting lines. They also said that you can use a hairdryer to flatten out the mats and that they donot warp.

Thanks e4 I will look online to see what they have. I do love my Olfa mat because of the color and the lines are easy to see. I have mine for 5 years and it is time for a new one.

The production of Salem cutting mats and rulers began in California back in 1979 as the first American made rotary cutting products. They are still manufactured here in America. They are all produced under the same quality standards as in the beginning. Some selling features are they can be rolled up for travel or storage and are not effected by heat. In fact, with a simple pressing cloth you can iron or press your project. They are soft enough you can pin patterns or small projects down as needed.
The Olfa items are made in Japan and are good products but cannot be exposed to heat or sunlight because of the chemicals used in its production. Excessive heat or sunlight will cause the mat to warp and cannot be flatten back to its original state.

I love, love, love my Salem mat. I bought it at an estate sale and it appeared new. I put it in the trunk of my car...and pretty much forgot about it for YEARS (I was waiting for my current mat to wear out). Finally took it out of the trunk and it had a slight curl. It did, indeed, flatten out. What I love most about it is that you can cut repeatedly and it really seems to self-heal. With my Olfa mat I end up cutting slivers out of the mat if I cut too close to another cut. Secondly, the Olfa mats SMELL when new, and take a while to off-gas. On the plus side, I can get Olfa mats from JoAnn's, which means I can use a coupon.

I don't have any problems with the lines on it that another poster responded about earlier.