I just purchased the beautiful Flower Power mat from Target. This is my third Gaiam mat and I have not encountered this problem to this extent with either of the other mats. I opened it up and used it right away to teach my class and the fumes were overwhelming. I laid it out in the car and it filled the car with fumes and then brought it into my garage where I can still smell it . I'm not sensitive to chemicals but am hoping the fumes dissipate by the time I teach my next class tomorrow. I suppose I should have gone green with a PVC/phalate free mat but really needed the touch of spring this winter.
Thank you for your question. Airing the mat out should help with the "new" smell. You can also wash it with mild soap and water. If you have any further concerns, please feel free to contact us directly at customerservice@gaiam.com.