The New Anti-Fatigue Mat: Springboard By FluidStance
As the world of work is changing, so is the way you work and where you work. Many of us have moved our full-time workspaces home, while others are in hybrid mode between our offices and home, still, others have gone 100% back to the office. Something that’s fallen by the wayside? How comfortable we are in these environments.
Whether you’re sitting or standing for work, it’s likely your work environment needs an upgrade. We promote active standing, which is healthier for you as it enables more movement and requires more energy than sitting, burning anywhere from 40-70 more calories per hour vs. sitting. Standing while you work is great, without the addition of natural movement it can lead to lower backaches, neck, or even leg pain. While there are anti-fatigue mats out on the market, they’re made to only provide a cushion for your feet that ultimately sink you into the floor.
And so, FluidStance has now released its brand new Springboard–an active standing mat that keeps you moving and comfortable while working. We spoke with Founder Joel Heath for a quick Q & A on this exciting new product.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for Springboard?
A: Well, I was in a meeting in the warehouse and I’m not much of a sitter. I like to move around so I stepped on a pallet, started to bounce on the pallet, and thought “This is a cool feeling.” I started to put together what a sustainable standing mat would look like. I began looking at the anti-fatigue mat market and seeing all of these petroleum-based products that had these awful smells coming out of them and seeing just how many people were throwing slabs of foam material on the ground that ended up in landfills. So I thought, “What could we bring to the market that had more sustainably sourced materials while addressing the anti-fatigue mat market with an active mentality? How can we put products underneath you that create movement?”
Q: What do you want to make sure people know or understand about the Springboard? How can it make someone’s day better?
A: Movement matters. The difference between Springboard and the standing mats currently on the market is that there is a movement built into our Springboard. It allows your body to receive energy back while standing. While passive standing mats feel good on contact, they just suck you in. Springboard is designed to work with you and make you feel better with its responsive bounce. The cherry on top is that it’s made from naturally sourced materials. You won’t have chemicals off-gassing while you work.
Q: What materials are you using and why?
A: It’s simple. There are 3 layers to the mat. The first is the laser-engineered baltic birch wood, which creates the subtle give and rebound effect. The second layer is the natural blended-wool felt, and lastly, the base is made from recycled rubber to create an anti-slip grip.
Q: What makes Springboard different?
A: There is nothing on the market like this. Our research and development team looked at various market spaces and drew inspiration from technologies we find in things like gymnastic mats or wood basketball floors. A lot of inspiration was taken from the fact that we believe humans are athletes, and just because you’re at work doesn’t mean you should stop being an athlete. We weren’t looking to create a standing mat from an angle of pain absorption, but a mat that inspired movement instead. The Springboard allows you to still be an active person, even while working.
Q: How would you compare Springboard to other mats?
A: The majority of mats available on the market are passive mats where one just steps on foam as a cushion. Too often, products like that are built to suck you in versus putting your body in a place of movement. We provide that active movement solution. In addition, most of the other mats out there are petroleum-based and are either plastic, TPU, or polyurethane. We are a much more environmentally-friendly product overall, and because of that, Springboard does not negatively impact your indoor air quality. Plus, we believe our design is iconic in its look and feel.
Q: Can we expect to see more colors in the future?
A: Yes. There are a lot of opportunities to create customization later down the road with different colors and materials.
Q: What do you see next on the horizon for FluidStance?
A: We want to provide the ultimate floor experience for those that work standing. And then moving from the floor up, like we’ve started doing with our OnDesk products, continues to be on the horizon for us.
