MIT, test reports and safety marks: what is the difference? A guide for parents reading play mat information

Key points

• “MIT” is an origin label; the “MIT Smile Mark” is a separate certification you apply for. They are not the same thing.
• “Submitted for testing”, “passed testing” and “awarded a mark” are three different things and should be read separately.
• When reading a report, first confirm the sample, the test items and the standard, then look at the results.
• Interlocking soft foam floor mats come under mandatory inspection from 1 July 2026; Anbibi’s play mats are five-fold seamless mats, not interlocking tiles.
• The end of the article explains why Anbibi currently manufactures in China, and how we think about quality and price.

When shopping for children’s products, parents see all kinds of terms: MIT, Made in Taiwan, passed inspection, SGS, safety mark... Each one seems to say “this is safe”, but they mean different things.

This article does not compare materials. It sets out how to read what each of these terms actually tells you. For materials, thickness and laying out a mat, see “How to choose a baby play mat with confidence”.

1. Supporting Taiwanese manufacturing, and looking one layer deeper

Many parents prefer products made in Taiwan, and that support for local industry is precious.

Origin, though, tells you where something was made, not what it was tested for. Wherever a product is made, you can ask one more question: which items was it tested for, what were the results, and do they match the model I am buying?

Look at both origin and testing and the picture is complete.

2. “MIT” and the “MIT Smile Mark” are different

• MIT (Made in Taiwan): an origin label, meaning the product’s origin is determined to be Taiwan under the applicable rules.
• MIT Smile Mark: a voluntary certification run by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. According to the official description, a product must meet the Taiwan-origin criteria and the applicable product certification requirements, and pass third-party verification, before it is licensed to use the mark. [Industrial Development Administration: about the MIT Smile Mark]

So a product labelled MIT has not necessarily been awarded the MIT Smile Mark; and a product without the Smile Mark is not necessarily made outside Taiwan. When you see the mark, look at the certification details on it and check them if needed.

3. “Submitted for testing”, “passed testing” and “awarded a mark” are three different things

These three phrases are often mixed up, but they mean different things:

1. Submitted for testing: only means a sample was sent for testing, not that every result was compliant.
2. Passed testing: means the submitted sample met the requirements for specific items under a specific standard. The questions are: which items, and under which standard?
3. Awarded a mark: means the product passed review under a certification scheme, usually with a certificate number, an expiry date and a defined product scope.

When you see claims like “passed multiple tests”, ask the brand to spell out which tests, under which standards, and for which models.

4. Four things to look for in a test report

You do not need to understand every number in a test report; these four points are enough:

1. What was the sample?
The cover usually gives the sample name, model number or a photo. Check that it is the model you are buying, and whether the sample was the whole product, a raw material or one component.

2. Which items were tested, under which standard?
For example plasticisers, heavy metals, formamide and physical safety. One report may cover only some of these; an item that is not listed cannot be assumed to have been tested.

3. How to read the results?
“ND” (Not Detected) means below the method’s detection limit, which is not necessarily the same as zero. Reports usually list the limit value and the detection limit side by side so you can compare them.

4. Has the product changed since?
A report only applies to the sample submitted at the time. If the materials, supplier or structure changed afterwards, the original report may no longer apply. The report date and certificate expiry are worth noting too.

5. Mandatory inspection: interlocking soft foam floor mats from 1 July 2026

The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection has announced that from 1 July 2026, interlocking soft foam floor mats become a commodity subject to mandatory inspection, by Declaration of Conformity, against standard CNS 15493. In other words, mats of this kind must comply before they can be sold. [Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection]

This rule targets foam mats assembled from individual interlocking tiles. Anbibi’s play mats are five-fold seamless one-piece mats and are not interlocking tiles.

Although they fall outside this rule, we still submit our play mats for testing voluntarily and have obtained the ST safety toy mark (see the next section), so parents have concrete information to check.

* For the exact scope, refer to the latest BSMI announcement.

6. Anbibi’s testing and the ST safety toy mark

This is the testing information Anbibi currently publishes for its play mats:

• Standard: CNS 4797 toy safety standard.
• Components tested: foam, PU surface, plastic zip, fabric edge and metal zip pull: all five component types were submitted.
• ST safety toy mark: the five-fold seamless children’s play mat holds the ST safety toy mark, certificate 114-G12592-40999, valid until 16 October 2028.
• EPE range: does not hold the ST mark because no flame retardant is added; all other test results are the same as the ranges that hold the mark.

We include small parts like the zip and the fabric edge in the testing because a child touches more than the surface of the mat. Full report contents, the models the mark covers and certificate details are at [Anbibi: safety testing and reports].

7. Why does Anbibi currently manufacture in China?

Anbibi is a Taiwanese brand, and our play mats are currently made mainly in China. The reason is simple: we foam our own material, and the foaming equipment and process are currently in China.

We support Taiwanese manufacturing and would be glad to move the equipment and process back to Taiwan if the right conditions arise. Moving production is not just moving machines, though: it involves premises, staff, raw material supply and running the equipment, all of which affect cost and ultimately price.

Raising a child is expensive, and a play mat is a choice parents make after careful comparison. With our current equipment and process, we want to weigh materials, structure, testing and price together so that more families can afford one.

A fair price has to rest on product quality and the safety requirements that must be met. If a future change in production raises the price, we want to explain to parents what the change brings, rather than leave only a difference in price.

Wherever a product is made, the information should be clear: the components and items tested, the mark number and its expiry are all published on our website for parents to check.

Making the information clear is what we can do for parents

Origin, testing and marks each answer a different question. When a brand separates them and explains each one clearly, parents can judge by what matters to them.

Stating the origin honestly, taking safety seriously and thinking carefully about price is our promise to families.

Peace of mind for parents and happy days for little ones is what we keep in mind in everything we make.

Read [Anbibi safety testing and reports] and [Compare the four materials]; to choose by material, thickness, layout and everyday use, see “How to choose a baby play mat with confidence: materials, structure and everyday use”.

* Test results apply to the corresponding submitted samples, test items and conditions; for each product’s marks, certificates and scope, refer to the product’s own information and valid documents.