Although many yoga studios provide students with yoga mats, these are usually cheap PVC mats that are unlikely to be particularly environmentally friendly. Plus, you never really know how well a yoga studio cleans their usual utility mats, which, it turns out, can be breeding grounds for bacteria.
Most yoga practitioners choose to purchase their own mat. Whether as a motivation to immerse yourself in your yoga practice, as a special tool for asana practice, or to take your practice with you when traveling.
We’ve rounded up the best yoga mats of 2019 that are ethical, eco-friendly, and made by companies that give a percentage of profits back to charity.
What makes a “good” yoga mat?
A good yoga mat is of course subjective. But we think a good yoga mat should be ethical, have the least negative impact on the environment and health, be able to be easily carried around, be able to withstand a lot of sweat when needed, and still have enough friction or grip, be easy to clean, and ideally The bottom will not break.
what to avoid
In general, you want to stay away from cheap PVC mats, which are mostly made in China. These types of mats have been shown to contain chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects. They are also not biodegradable.
Maintenance of yoga mat
Maintenance of yoga mat
If you are able to purchase a quality yoga mat that suits your individual asana practice needs as well as your unique health and environmentally conscious ethics and values, you should take good care of your mat to keep it germ-free and useful for a longer period of time.
Some tips to keep in mind when cleaning your yoga mat are:
Spray yoga mat spray and wipe down before and after each use
When using the mat during asana practice, use natural tea tree oil or vinegar cleansers whenever possible to reduce skin exposure to chemicals in the mat
Make sure the mat is dry before rolling it up and putting it back in a bag or storage
hang the mat in the sun from time to time
If your mat is machine washable, wash it in hot water at least once a month to kill bacteria like E. coli that regular yoga mat sprays can’t wash off.
our best advice
If you haven’t found the perfect yoga mat yet, we’ve rounded up the best eco-friendly yoga mats of 2019 for you.
slag
slag. Imprint https://www.scoriaworld.com/
Scoria World produces sustainable cork yoga mats. Her first drafts consisted of whimsical children’s drawings. Their new line of cushions features designs by Canadian artists. Every purchase of a Scoria yoga mat helps provide healthy vegetarian meals to children in areas affected by hunger and malnutrition.
Jade Yoga Harmony
Jade Yoga Harmony. imprint jadeyoga.com
Jade makes some of the yoga world’s most sought after compostable rubber and jute yoga mats. They’re lightweight and fold up nicely for travel. For every mat sold, Jade plants a tree and supports causes that bring yoga to the communities that can benefit most from its practice.
clever
clever. Credits worldyoganews.com
Clesign, a Hong Kong-based company, is trying to differentiate itself from the mass production of toxic yoga mats made in China by producing eco-friendly mats that have been tested by yoga teachers to work. The company has also pledged to plant two trees for every PVC-free yoga mat sold.
Manduka PRO
Manduka PRO. Imprint manduka.com
Manduka is considered by many to be the “Rolls Royce” of yoga mats. They’re pricey, but come with a lifetime warranty, and use a process in their latex-free padding that doesn’t emit toxins into the air, and are certified to European standards as safe for human contact.
Lululemon Reversible Bag 5mm
Lululemon double sided 5mm. Credits shop.lululemon.com
Whether you love or hate the yogic lifestyle brand, yogis keep talking about it, and Lululemon’s 5mm reversible travel mat has been voted the most popular yoga companion time and time again. The mat is antimicrobial and made of natural rubber for better grip, even during a sweaty hot yoga class.
form a round yoga mat
Form a round yoga mat. Legal Noticestheform.co.uk
Step outside the box or the typical rectangular yoga mat and try practicing asanas on a round mat. Forme makes round yoga mats made from recycled materials that are biodegradable and carbon negative—even their packaging is made from recycled cardboard and biodegradable tape to keep waste to a minimum.
Yoga Design Lab
Yoga Design Lab. Imprint yogadesignlab.com
The Yoga Design Lab mat was developed after a vacation to Bali, which inspired the owner to create a unique and efficient yoga mat amidst a sea of unoriginal, mass-produced yoga mats. All of their products are based in biorenewable awareness, and $1 of every purchase goes towards urban youth yoga projects.
Yoko
Yoko. Imprint www.instagram.com/yogo/
The Yogo mat is lightweight, compact and made of natural rubber, and folds down to the size of a folded newspaper. Not only that, but each purchase enables Yogo to plant a nurturing tree for a family in Africa or Latin America and provide lasting, sustainable education and employment to underprivileged communities by promoting restorative agriculture.
Mukti Pad
Mukti pad. Credits muktimats.com.au
The Mukti Natural yoga mat from Australia is made from natural, sustainable materials. They are PVC free and use natural rubber, jute and cotton not sourced from the Amazon to make the mat. They also support a Himalayan tailoring center in northern India, which employs mostly refugees.
life form
life form. Imprint liforme.com
life form