A Cricut cutting mat is the sticky surface that holds your material flat and still while the blade does its work. Cricut color-codes its mats by grip strength, and matching the grip to your material is the single biggest thing you can do for clean, frustration-free cuts.
The four mat colors
Each mat color has a different adhesive level designed for a specific weight of material:
- LightGrip (blue): Best for thin, delicate materials like printer paper, vellum, and light cardstock.
- StandardGrip (green): The everyday workhorse for medium cardstock, vinyl, iron-on, and patterned paper.
- StrongGrip (purple): For thick and heavy materials such as poster board, chipboard, and thick cardstock.
- FabricGrip (pink): Made specifically for fabric and bonded materials, often used with the rotary blade.
How to choose the right mat
Start with the material's weight. The thinner and more delicate the material, the lighter the grip you want — a StrongGrip mat will shred a sheet of printer paper. When in doubt, the green StandardGrip mat handles the widest range of common crafting materials.
Mat sizes
Mats come in 12 x 12 inch and 12 x 24 inch sizes for full-size machines, plus a smaller 8.5 x 12 inch option. The Cricut Joy uses its own narrow mats. Larger mats let you cut bigger projects or batch several small ones at once.
Pro tip: New mats can be too sticky and tear delicate paper. Press a clean cotton t-shirt onto the mat a few times to lift off some tack before the first use.
Making mats last longer
Always cover your mat with the clear plastic film between projects to keep dust and lint off the adhesive. Lift cut pieces with a spatula tool instead of peeling the mat away from the material, and wash sticky mats gently with warm water and a little dish soap when they lose grip.
The bottom line
Keep at least a green and a blue mat on hand, add purple and pink as your projects demand, and clean them regularly. Treat your mats well and they will reward you with hundreds of clean cuts.