In recent years, especially post Covid, several fitness activities such as yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi and more have become popular. This could be because more people have realized the importance of self-care, and want to take responsibility for their own wellness.
Though yoga has been around for thousands of years in the land of its birth, India, it has gained global popularity only in the last fifty years or so. As a result, several interesting spin-offs have entered this space, with their own followers and practices.
No matter what school of yoga you belong to, the one thing you absolutely cannot do without is a yoga mat. Although the ancients practiced yoga on bare earth or grass, they later adopted jute or cotton mats to improve their performance and to protect themselves from injury and accidents.
Today, yoga mats are available in a wide variety of materials such as PVC, rubber, cork and more. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, and you can make your own personal choice based on your individual preferences, material, budget, style of yoga, age, weight, height, or location.
You can start off with a particular kind of mat and later switch to a different one when your needs and style change. Rest and digest have a range of eco-friendly yoga mats and associated yoga related equipment on their website.
Yoga Mats and The Environment
The typical yoga mat that you find in supermarkets, sports stores or online is affordable and easily available. Most new entrants into the practice of yoga find it easy to pick up one of these colorful products. Apart from freshers, seasoned practitioners may also find these mats attractive from a cost point of view. Many yoga schools offer them in their in-house shops.
The bad news is that many of these products can be harmful for your health and the environment. They could be made of toxic materials that are non-biodegradable, give out harmful fumes, and contaminate soil and groundwater sources. They tend to pile up in landfills and remain there for centuries, causing immense pollution and harm to human, animal and plant life.
They could contain dangerous substances such as phthalates or bisphenol A (BPA), toxic coloring agents and other add-ons that are known to be endocrine and hormone disruptors. These products can get absorbed into your body via the skin or respiratory system causing a range of serious health conditions.
Identifying toxic yoga mats is easy once you become aware of the difference. They have a strong chemical smell that lingers especially when they’re brand new. Your eco-friendly yoga mat may also have a smell but this usually vanishes after a few sessions.
Mats that are super-soft and flexible could be made from PVC that is a derivative of petroleum and is non-biodegradable.
Some mats are made of NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) which in itself is not toxic but it is non-biodegradable and can become a landfill problem in time to come.
It’s important to know exactly what your yoga mat is made from. Apart from serious conditions such as cancer or hormonal problems, toxic materials can cause skin and respiratory allergies. Some PVC mats get stained easily and cleaning them is a huge problem because the material tends to disintegrate with scrubbing and detergents.
Yoga Mats That Are Good For The Planet: What’s The Real Story?
Making a conscious choice to select eco-friendly yoga mats is a responsible act that pays off in the long run. The main qualities that you look for in a yoga mat are stability, grip and comfort.
Eco-friendly products made from natural hemp, natural tree-rubber, jute, water hyacinth or banana fiber, blends with cotton and natural fibers and waste fibers such as banana stem, or cork can provide all the qualities you need in a yoga mat.
Most people avoid purchasing organic or natural yoga mats because they are more expensive than cheap PVC ones. Especially when you are new to the practice, you may shy away from making a large initial investment. However, choosing an eco-friendly yoga mat is your contribution to your health, that of your family, children and pets, life on earth and your peace of mind.
While selecting environmentally safe products, pay attention to the manufacturing process and ensure that the carbon footprint is low, along with transportation costs from a different country.
These mats are much more durable than cheaper mats and easier to clean and keep fresh and hygienic. You tend to sweat during the practice of yoga and cheaper mats become a breeding ground for fungi, allergens and microorganisms.
Eco-friendly mats are completely biodegradable. However, some of the processes involved in manufacturing them may not be environmentally friendly. For instance, rubber mats manufacturing uses a lot of water. However, many rubber mats are made by companies that source the material from sustainable sources. These mats give excellent cushioning for your joints, and they grip the floor tightly, making them an excellent choice for active yoga and complex poses.
Cork mats are manufactured from natural materials that are renewable and have antimicrobial properties.
Jute and hemp mats have anti-allergenic properties, are easy to clean and dry fast. Jute is completely biodegradable, gives excellent grip and is long lasting. Jute and cotton blended mats are the perfect option for meditation as they are soft and breathable, allowing you to sit comfortably for hours.
All natural and eco-friendly mats are long lasting compared to PVC mats which can typically last only for a year or two, while natural materials can give you excellent service for 4-6 years with minimum care.
