Last updated on January 25th, 2024 at 11:05 pm
Yoga enthusiasts always on the lookout for the best mat for your practice – this post is going to be great for you. While doing yoga doesn’t strictly require a mat, it’s best to have one to use as support, for comfort and to reduce the risk of injuring yourself. Low-slip yoga mats will also help you develop a more confident practice. But the icing on the cake? Opting for a sustainable yoga mat, which supports you as well as the environment. Most yoga mats are made of plastic or rubber, hardly conducive to a peaceful session. Staying eco-friendly as you stretch and twist can only improve your mindfulness – or, that’s what I think;)
<<<< Check out the sustainable yoga leggings you can wear while stretching out on your mat! >>>
Looking for the best affordable yoga mat? Try the Hugger Mugger Sattva Jute Mat. At $55, this natural jute mat brings durability and sustainability to the table. It’s also lightweight, and has insane grip and moisture absorption.
Best Sustainable Yoga Mat
These specific yoga mats are eco-friendly and will last for a while if they’re well taken care of:
Yoga Mat | Eco-Friendly Qualities | Price |
Jade Fusion Yoga Mat | Made from natural rubber; biodegradable; non-toxic; PVC-free | $135 |
Tranquil Yogi Tranquility Cork Yoga Mat | Made from natural cork and rubber; non-toxic; PVC-free; antimicrobial | $116 |
Liforme Yoga Mat | Made from eco-polyurethane and rubber; biodegradable; PVC-free; non-toxic; alignment system | From $140 |
REECH NamaSTAY Yoga Mat | Made from organic cotton and herbal dyes; biodegradable; non-toxic; antibacterial | $125 |
Oko Living Herbal Dyed Yoga Mats | Made from organic cotton and herbal dyes; biodegradable; non-toxic; antibacterial; sweat-resistant | From $168 |
2nd Wind Sticky Yoga Mat | Made from natural cork and rubber; biodegradable; non-toxic; PVC-free; antimicrobial; sweat-resistant | $140 |
Urbivore All-Natural Cork Yoga Mat | Made from natural cork and rubber; biodegradable; non-toxic; PVC-free; antimicrobial; sweat-resistant | $108 |
Best Yoga Mat Brands
These sustainable yoga mat brands are made from low-impact, eco-friendly materials. All the key characteristics of a mat – portability, thickness, weight, length and width, comfort – can co-exist with environmental sustainability, as seen in this list. Enjoy the yoga session on one of these sustainable mats, from warm-up poses all the way to the shavasana.
1 // Affirmats
Affirmats love affirmations. Every mat of theirs has one. So, apart from being well-designed, eco-friendly, and non-toxic, their mats also inspire you with positive affirmations. Kinda like a touchstone or a talisman. It’s really cool, and fortunately, it’s not one of those situations where you have to sacrifice quality or looks for message.
Cos, I mean – check out the ‘i am free’ mat, made of jute and ECO-per blend:
This 5mm mat is free of phthalates, latex and heavy metals, and is slip-resistant.
2 // Corc Yoga Mats
Corc Yoga Mats are recyclable, renewable, and biodegradable. The cork part of it has a superpower: the suberian wax inside the cell walls of cork makes it impermeable to liquids and resistant to moisture. Which means it will last a longer time! Especially because cork is also naturally resistant to dust and mites. Another plus point is the honeycomb structure of cork, which makes it less slippery.
All Corc Yoga mats are handmade – so there are no two pieces that are the same!
3 // Dragonfly Yoga
From a completely natural cork mat, we move on to a scientifically studied and developed ‘Dragonfly’ mat. The Dragonfly Yoga Lite Mat’s closed-cell technology prevents sweat, odors and germs from settling into your mat – meaning your mat will remain free of germs and weird odors.
But what is it made of? TPE.
And what’s TPE? TPE is made of Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) and other material closed-cell foamed under high temperature. This material is eco-friendly with the characteristics of non-PVC, non-toxic, non-heavy-metals and non-irritating odor.
The mat is 3 mm think and very lightweight with a great grip.
4 // Ekaminhale Yoga Rugs
This is not a mat, guys – it’s a rug. These yoga rugs are made in India with GOTS-certified organic cotton. They look gorgeous, and will be perfect especially if you’re in a warmer climate. Cleaning this and maintaining it may be a bit more challenging – but since it’s cotton, it can probably be hand-washed and air-dried when it begins to smell. But look at the texture! Certainly promises a nice grip. And if you do buy from them, they will ship to you in recycled cardboard boxes.
THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.
5 // GenYOUine
They are a very young company offering antimicrobial, nonslip, biodegradable cork yoga mats, while ensuring they are socially responsible themselves. Their materials are ethically sourced, and they have a zero waste shipping and packaging policy.
6 // Jade Yoga
They plant a tree with every purchase, and are careful to only deal with sustainable materials, especially their carefully sourced rubber. Their Dharba Grass Mat looks good and clearly feels great. (and for each Dharba Grass Mat purchased, Jade Yoga claims to give a week’s worth of lunch for a child in India). Jade Yoga seem to give back to a number of causes, such as the fight against ovarian cancer. They have some rad mat bags as well.
7 // Lottus Life
Natural jute is biodegradable, non-toxic and recyclable. Lott’s Life uses SGS-certified natural jute fibers, with its anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties. Can there be a better material for our yoga needs? The Jute Yoga Mat is perfect for your yoga session: it’s 8mm thick, easy to clean, and comes in a range of gorgeous colors. Lott’s Life also gives back 1% of their profits to the Karma Project to promote clean water.
8 // Manduka eKO Lite
Non-slip, lightweight and long-lasting. Pretty much the key ingredients for a good-quality and sustainable yoga mat. Manduka delivers. The Manduka eKO Lite is a 4mm mat made from biodegradable, non-Amazon harvested, natural tree rubber. It is made by a zero-waste manufacturing process, and the mat is non-toxic, OEKO-tex certified and latex free.
Check out their quiz to determine which mat is best for you.
Here’s what’s unique: The top-side of the mat has a rippled water effect. This is due to the durable, sealed-cell natural rubber that helps prevent sweat, odors and bacteria from getting into your mat. If you can take good care of this mat, it will probably last you a lifetime!
9 // Ohmat
Vegans in the house, rejoice. This is a non-toxic, biodegradable yoga mat that is also vegan. The hand-drawn designs just take the coolness notch up even more, along with the exotic, summer vibe.
10 // Onnit Han Solo Yoga Mat
This one’s a bit quirky (and a little disturbing, if you ask me). But here’s Han Solo trying to help you with your yoga routine – though he’s in a pretty helpless situation himself. Check it out:
You know the worst thing about a bad mat? The sliding and the gross slipperiness. But you won’t find that on the Onnit Han Solo Mat. Its grip is steady, because it’s made with a polyurethane base and topped with recycled rubber (which gives the supportive, strong, and slip-resistant surface, while also minimizing absorption of liquids). This mat is also tough – and designed for all sorts of high impact aerobic practices. A good, solid buy for the serious yogi + Star Wars fan.
11 // SugaMats
SugaMats makes their mats out of something really cool: recycled wetsuits! Great way to pay homage to the environment – by using something that was used in the ocean, and that, unfortunately, could have caused a lot of harm to the ocean if disposed of carelessly. (Am I making sense?) Anyway, SugaMats is more articulate about this than I am (“Wetsuits. Reincarnated.”), and they also ensure the quality of their recycled mats. They test and pass the mats for density, elasticity, durability, and liquid permeability and retention, among other qualities. Only then do they allow our dirty paws to do yoga on the mats!
12 // Yin Yoga Mats
Yin is based in Byron Bay, Australia, and they are committed to making designs with a low environmental impact. They partner with factories that share their vision of sustainability. The yoga mats are made from sustainable natural tree rubber, with no PVC, no silicone, no phthalates and no single-use plastic. One of Yin’s objectives is to divert single-use plastic from landfills. They follow fair trade principles in their business.
13 // Yoloha
This brand exudes the founders’ love for travel and sustainability. Their cork yoga mat comes in five different styles and several lovely designs. You can personalize a design for yourself, too.
14 // Zen Bear
Zen Bear mats seem soft to touch, anti-slip and made of vegan suede! (Cute brand logo, too!)
Made to suit both warm and cool settings (Hot Yoga, Home Yoga, Pilates and Meditation), Zen Bear mats are designed to have a minimal eco footprint, while also celebrating “life’s vibrancy through colours, patterns and prints.”
Zen Bear donates £5 on every item sold to Friends of the Earth, an environmental campaigning community.
How Do I Clean My Yoga Mat?
There are many ways to clean your yoga mat without using harmful chemicals:
Use a solution of warm water and a mild detergent such as dish soap. Submerge your yoga mat in a bathtub and allow it to soak for a few minutes. Then use a soft cloth to wash both sides of the mat. Rinse your mat and let it air dry.
You can also use lemon juice as a natural antibacterial ingredient. Dilute lemon juice in water, pop in a spray bottle, and wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth. Here’s a DIY yoga mat spray:
Another option is to use vinegar and water. Mix one part vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle. Spray your mat and wipe it with a damp cloth. Rinse your mat and hang it to dry.
However, the method of cleaning will depend entirely on the material that your mat is made of. Some materials, such as cork or rubber, may require different cleaning methods or products. Check the label of your mat or the manufacturer’s website for more information.
Also, watch this video.
How often should I clean my yoga mat?
The frequency of cleaning your yoga mat depends on how often you use it and what type of material it is made of. According to some sources, you should aim to clean your yoga mat at least once a month if you only practice a couple of times a week. However, if you practice yoga every day, you should clean your mat more often, about once every couple of weeks. You should also deep clean your mat around once a month.
This post was about the best sustainable yoga mat
As environmentally-conscious yogis, we should try to support and choose eco-friendly yoga brands. What did you think of these 12 awesome yoga mat? Which one is your favorite? Remember to also be nice to them, and clean them regularly using safe ingredients.
If you liked this post, please share it with your friends. Thank you!<3
THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE FOR MORE DETAILS.
NOTE: All brand photographs belong to the respective brands/businesses.
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