Does Your Yoga Mat Measure Up?

It has only been in the last few years that the yoga community has fully embraced the concept making eco-friendly mats more important. Many mats are made from toxic materials, the implications of this our quite large considering the rapid growth of new students into the practice. In face, it is estimated that about 15 million people are doing yoga that is a lot of yoga mats!



Yoga is not only about practices poses, in Tantra the teachings awaken us to how everything has a ripple effect, so yes choosing an eco-conscious mat is important. I still have my very first PVC yoga mat, that my sister gave me years ago and I do love it but I would not by a mat that wasn’t created with the highest intention to honour the planet and not to mention I prefer not to have plastic chemicals right under my nose while taking a breath in child’s pose.



One of the main materials used in many yoga mats, especially the really inexpensive ones, is polyvinyl chloride (or “PVC,” also known as “vinyl”), an environmental toxin. As if that isn’t gross enough add lead, cadmium, and a class of chemicals called of phthalates, which aggravate your endocrine system among many other health problems. These additives are added to make your mat soft and sticky but release gases over time and use.



The material used in yoga mats isn’t always listed so it makes it difficult for the consumer to make an informed purchase. Many companies have even added a print of a flower, an ocean or some image that makes us feel more connected to nature.



Several reputable companies have rises to the challenge of creating mats aren’t toxic and have been made with materials that will biodegrade and will not leach toxins into your body or the groundwater. prAna is a forward thinking eco-conscious company producing an alternative to the old PVC mats.



John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga, worked closely with PrAna to develop a mat that would be safe, sticky and the greenest mat on the market. The mat is called the Revolution and it is unlike any other yoga mat. This mat takes up a lot of space; it is 78 inches long and 30 inches wide, noticeably wider and longer than most standard yoga mats. “This mat supports you as you stretch the boundaries of your practice on an ecologically sustainable surface. Three layers of biodegradable rubber, heat laminated without glue, offer your hands and feet a comfortable and sturdy platform. Instead of nylon or plastic, the interior scrim is a dual layer of cotton, which keeps the mat from stretching or bunching underneath you as you move.”



Having a mat that isn’t harming you or the environment is an important aspect reflecting your rising consciousness to make decisions that make our planet a better and healthier place to live. It is very difficult to find a use for old PVC mats and if you through them out they will not likely breakdown anytime soon.