Salon mats are critical for the comfort and health of stylists who are on their feet all day long. Anti-fatigue mats around your salon chairs or barber chairs help you and your stylists feel better and less tired. By reducing pain and exhaustion these mats will pay for themselves in recovered productivity. See the end of the article for more information on mats and how to choose the right type and size for you.

Rhino Mats are one of the top names in salon anti-fatigue mats for a reason. It’s a father and son founded business that creates their industrial mats in the United States with materials produced and sourced from the United States.

Their mats are sturdy, well-made, and sleek. This mat is part of their Comfort Craft collection which has a non-absorbent polyurethane sponge center calibrated to increase circulation and reduce back stress.

It’s a good balance of firmness and squish factor (which is probably not the scientific term.) At three-quarters of an inch thick this is their deluxe mat and has their classic anti-slip surface for client and employee safety, but the surface isn’t so textured that it makes hair sweeping difficult.

In addition to the classic semi-circle shape, this mat is also available as a rectangle, hexagon, and large hexagon which has the salon chair sitting entirely upon the mat.

Find more Semi-Circle Comfort Craft Mat by Rhino Mats information and reviews here.

A more affordable option for a thick salon mat, this one by Yoshiko has a 5/8-inch high-density foam center and a durable outer layer that can handle high heels. Its neutral matte black finish is easy to keep clean.

It’s a good medium thickness for those who want decent cushion but think that one inch may be too much, this is a nice compromise. This mat does seem to show footprints more than others, but for the price and knowing that you’ll be cleaning it regularly anyway, it may be worth it.

It’s waterproof, puncture-resistant, and has great anti-skid traction. It’s not as heavy as some others at under eight pounds so you will want to weigh down the edges of it when you first get the mat to help it lay flat.

Find more 7/8-Inch Salon Anti-Fatigue Mats by YOSHIKO information and reviews here.

Most of these mats work well in any salon setting, but if you’re looking for something a little more on the masculine side to fit in with your barbershop aesthetic, Rhino Mats has you covered. This one-inch thick mat has an industrial faux steel look to it that wouldn’t be out of place in an auto body shop.

They are built to last with the same quality as other Rhino Mats with high-density support foam and surface performance. At one inch thick, this is a good choice for barbers and stylists with a heavier build while still providing plenty of support.

Even at this thickness, the beveled edge has a nice gradual slope to prevent tripping. It won’t show footprints and has a depression for a circular barber chair base. This style mat also comes in black and in semi-circle.

These look great with bold, red barber chairs.

Find more Sport Salon Anti-Fatigue Rectangle Mat by Rhino Mats information and reviews here.

This 5/8-Inch Mat by Standish Salon Goods has some really good squish to it. If you need a larger mat with that soft, sinking feeling to cushion your feet against hard floors, this is one to take a closer look at. 

The rectangular mat is over half an inch of soft but supportive PU foam. It’s nice and heavy at over 14 pounds so while it’s got that squishy height, this isn’t a mat that’s filled with air. I like that it’s bigger than most at three by five feet and fits square chair bases with can be hard to find mats for.

The heft also helps this mat lay flat after shipping, but it’s always best to press your mats flat after you get them.

The edges are sloped for safety, but I would say these beveled edges are a little steeper than in other brands. Though, it may be worth it for how soft it feels on your feet.

Find more Salon Anti Fatigue Mat by Standish information and reviews here.

All the black mats so far too plain? These mats by LCL Beauty have screen-printed scissor designs with a stylized face with flowing hair on the ends. They’re cute, fun, and serve a dual-purpose of reminding people the mats are there to avoid tripping hazards.

At half an inch thick, these are already less of a tripping hazard and the sloped sides take care of the rest. It has a smooth surface that’s easy to clean but holds onto a little more hair than the two mats above.

If you’re looking for your feet to be able to sink into something truly soft, this one isn’t for you, but if you’re looking for something supportive that takes the edge off those hard floors, this has you covered.

The rectangular mat comes in silver-colored scissors and LCL Beauty also makes a semi-circle mat in this style in silver and purple.

Find more Rectangle Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat With Scissor Design by LCL Beauty information and reviews here.

For covering a larger area of the floor, this large anti-fatigue floor mat by Buy-Rite measures five feet long by three feet wide. The mat is 0.75 inches thick, just a little thicker than the minimum I’d recommend, and is filled with extra soft foam.

It’s very squishy which feels great on the feet. The mat is stain and puncture-resistant so it’s safe for high heels. The salon chair depression is designed for a 12 by 24-inch square base. It comes with a three-year warranty on wear-through and separation.

Find more Floor Mat With Square Depression by Buy-Rite information and reviews here.

This large three-foot by five-foot Amcomfy Marble Light Mat is great if you’re looking for a unique look. The black-heavy stylized marble pattern really stands out among other plain mats. Patterned mats like this go really well with white salon chairs,

It’s 1/2 an inch thick and covers three feet by five feet with a depression for a circular salon chair base. The high-density foam is covered in a slip-resistant material that’s waterproof and puncture-resistant so it’s okay with high heels.

The edges have one of the best tapers on the list making it easy to roll carts and other equipment over it and reducing the risk of tripping. You’ll want to weigh the edges down on this one since it is a lighter weight mat, but the anti-skid underside resists slipping fairly well. 

Ergohead makes a semicircle mat with a similar pattern. 

Find more Amcomfy Anti Fatigue Floor Mat information and reviews here.

This Small Comfy Mat is a great choice for people with space limitations who need something small or for stations that don’t require a lot of walking around the client. 

The two-foot by three-foot mat cushions just the area behind the chair for more efficient use of space if you don’t need to circle the chair all day. It’s a good addition to a smaller home salon space where you end up spinning the chair more than pacing around it.

It comes as a one-inch thick mat (featured above) or a 0.5-inch thick mat. Keep in mind, because it’s much smaller than other mats, one inch is going to look extra tall so unless you know you need that extra cushion support, you may want to go with the 0.5-inch mat.

Find more Small Semi-Circle Mat information and reviews here.

If you want a thick cushion in a hexagon shape, check out this hexagon mat from D Salon. At 7/8-inches thick, this mat is about as tall as you can get before it starts becoming too soft for comfort.

The material is waterproof and puncture-resistant so it’s safe to walk on with high heels. With taller mats, the tapering of the edges to prevent a tripping hazard is very important and this mat checks that box.

When you receive your mat, it’s best to weigh the edges down for a day or so to make sure that it lays as flush to the floor as possible. It weighs over 20 pounds which helps keep it laying flat.

It’s easy to clean, has a nice non-slip texture, and resists discoloration. The padding is a high-density foam for support, but some people may find this to be too much mat.

Find more Hexagon Salon & Barber Shop Anti-Fatigue Mat information and reviews here.

If you’re looking for a unique look, check out SSLine’s Faux Wood Salon Chair Mats. This fake woodgrain finish stands out among more plain mats and the pattern can even help to disguise dust, hair, and inevitable stains. 

It has half an inch of high-density foam making it much thinner than most mats but not everyone wants a high-profile mat because they are more likely to trip on something tall. This is more like having gel inserts in your shoes to cushion but not feel like it’s something you need to stop up onto.

The mat is high-heel safe and anti-static to repel hair and dust. 

Find more Faux Wood Anti-Fatigue Mat by SSLine information and reviews here.

At one inch thick, this Outmaster Mat is one of the thickest mats, but at around 11 pounds it’s also one of the lightest. You’ll definitely want to weigh down the edges when you receive the mat to get it to lay flush to the floor.

Being lightweight means it’s easier to move around, store, and travel with. It also means that some of that one-inch-thick padding is air and not high-density foam. Its tendency to squish down is comfortable on your feet (it does claim to be rated to up to 400 pounds) but it also might be coming closer to bottoming out than a heavier mat.

For some people’s needs, this could be the balance they’ve been looking for. That said, I wouldn’t expect this mat to last for many years if it’s that much air. The sloped edges of this mat are very steep and they could also be a problem for some people depending on where you’re using it.

This could work for you if this is for a home salon space that isn’t being used eight hours a day, seven days a week.

Find more 1 Inch Thick Professional Anti-Fatigue Salon Floor Mat information and reviews here.

When you're standing constantly, even if you're wearing the most ergonomic shoes possible, you're going to be sore at the end of the day. The best thing to do when you have to be standing up all day is to change what you're standing on. Anti-fatigue mats provide a much-needed cushion for your feet.

They're called anti-fatigue mats because one huge problem with standing on a hard floor for even an hour is that you can become exhausted while doing nothing. Your body becomes tired simply from standing still on hard ground, let alone if you have complicated tasks to perform at the same time.

Joint health. The CDC states that standing for long stretches has been linked to foot, joint, and lower back pain, swollen legs, and tiredness--although I'm not sure why they needed a study to learn that.

Salon mats reduce the impact on your joints as you stand and move leading to less immediate pain as well as long-term wear and tear to your joints.

Cardiovascular health. According to an article in Rehabilitation Nursing Journal, there have been multiple studies that document a strong connection between prolonged standing and increase risk of cardiovascular issues. 

The point of an anti-fatigue mat isn't just that your feet appreciate not standing on tile--it's what the mat forces your body to do.

When you're standing still for long periods, the muscles in your legs lock up. They constrict so tightly that it narrows the veins in your legs to the point that your heart has to work harder to move blood around your body and increases your risk for blood clots.

However, when you stand on something softer, like an anti-fatigue mat, the muscles in your feet, legs, and core engage with micro-movements to keep you steady. It's these micro-movements that relieve some of the pain of standing "still" for long periods of time, improve circulation, and are the reason you're less tired at the end of the day.

Salon mats should be just squishy enough to wake up your leg muscles to keep your balance, but not so squishy that you ever notice that it's happening.

Worker productivity. When your stylists are tired or in physical pain, they aren't performing at their best. They're moving slower and having trouble concentrating which can lead to mistakes. Issues related to poor ergonomic posture on hard floors can lead to chronic and worsening back pain so you're looking at increased sick leave as well.

As a salon owner, what's good for your employees' health is good for you, and quality anti-fatigue mats have immediate, wide-reaching benefits.

Shape and size. This is more important for a salon than for most other workplaces. Regular industrial anti-fatigue mats or mats for standing desks in offices won't work, but you can find a variety of cut-outs and depressions in these salon floor mats that fit snugly around the base of your styling chairs whether they are round or square.

Another important shape factor is you want your mat to have sloping sides that act as a ramp. This will prevent dangerous tripping hazards and allow you to more easily move salon trolley carts around and on top of them.

Thickness. Thickness is completely a personal choice though most experts advise not going any thinner than half an inch thick as any less than that and your mat is more likely to "bottom out" meaning you're on the mat, but it's so compressed you're basically standing on the floor. One inch thick is about the maximum thickness before it becomes more like walking on a mattress topper.

Firmness. You want good middle-of-the-road firmness. Not so squishy that it causes your body to work overtime to stay upright and not so firm that you might as well be standing on the floor.

Material. You want a material that can be easily cleaned while being durable, and long-lasting. Salon anti-fatigue mats need to be able to withstand prolonged use, being swept multiple times a day and may have to handle high heels.

Check out the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety Anti Fatigue Mat Fact Sheet for more information on anti-fatigue mats and when to use them.

Besides taking regular breaks and wearing comfortable shoes, you can also start wearing compression socks to promote healthy circulation. 

You can get these socks in subtle nude colors or go all out with this cute six-pair set with fun patterns like sharks and cacti. 

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