5 Best Eco Yoga Mats

Find out which are my choices for the 5 best eco yoga mats. Want to get started with some yoga? First things first, you might need a mat. if you are on the lookout for a new mat. Why not try an eco yoga mat.

Of course as a beginner you could use a towel or the carpet, but that can be frustrating when you don’t have a good grip. A good yoga mat gives you cushioning, which is great for knees that need a bit of extra cushion. It’s also an investment and will last through many sun salutations.

Have you thought about eco friendly mats? As well as helping save the Planet. When you unroll your new mat, there will be no funny PVC smells. Did you know PVC mats are not recyclable? It takes hundreds of years for them to break down. Plus dioxin, which is toxic, gets released each time they are incinerated.

What makes a yoga mat eco ?

• Made of renewable materials like cork or ethically sourced rubber

• It’s made of recycled materials

• Is ethical sourced

• Dyes used should be non-toxic

• Packaging should be minimal and renewable or recycled

Matters to consider when buying a mat (teehee, sorry couldn’t resist)

• Weight. How heavy is it? Some travel varieties are lighter and great to tote to class a very heavy mat is no fun to carry if you walk to class.

• Thickness. If you have a problem with knees or wrists, you might find the travel mats at around 2mm too thin. Regular thickness is 4-5mm.

• Length If you are tall, make sure the mat is long enough, not all mats are the same length.

• Markings for alignment, this can be useful especially for beginners.

How to recycle your old yoga mat

• Donate it to charity, and someone else gets a mat for cheap.

• Cut it up and use it for gardening kneeling pads.

• Again cut it up and use it as a seat pad as you sup your take-out latte on a park bench this Winter.

The 5 best eco yoga mats (according to me)

1. Manduka Yoga Mats

Manduka

“the mat” for yoga teachers. That means you are buying a statement mat. No toxic chemicals have gone into the manufacturing process to soften the rubber for the eko range. Manduka eko has grip technology, which makes it good and grippy. Plus nice thickness at 5mm. Also longer sizes are available. A good choice eco yoga mats.

Manduka eko 5mm $95

• What Material rubber

• Eco  Made from biodegradable, non-Amazon harvested, natural tree rubber with non-toxic foaming agents and non-AZO dyes

• About Style not recommended for hot yoga because its made of rubber

• Price $45- $129

2. Cork space

Cork space

is a UK company, they make a pro and travel mat. Made out of sustainable cork and natural rubber.  They have partnered with the Eden project. Cork is grippy when wet and has anti-microbial properties. Love it or return within 90 days. A pretty and grippy eco yoga mat.

Cork space chakra GBP75

• Material cork & rubber

• How Eco sustainable material, that means 10 trees planted per mat, recycled packaging

• Style great for hot yoga as very grippy

• Cost £49-£85

3. Liforme Yoga Mats

Liforme

PVC-free and biodegradable and oh so pretty. Although super pricey it would make a great gift for that special someone. The Liforme Rainbow Hope Mat is printed with non-toxic and eco-friendly ink. So very eco.

Liforme rainbow $185

• Materials eco foam & rubber

• Is it Eco sustainable material no plastic packaging, plus they list how much they donate to environmental conservation, social justice and animal welfare

• Style good for those who are all about grip and like alignment markers

• Cost $140-$220 Can shop in £ or $.

4. Complete Unity Yoga

Complete Unity Yoga

A more reasonable costing mat but just as eco friendly. Good grip and double sided which is nice. Complete unity yoga donate 5% of Net Profit to Helping Hands for India

Complete unity Jute GBP 49

• What Material jute & rubber

• Eco sustainable & biodegradable material,

• Style great for travel at 1.2kg. Those who prefer cushy 4mm also available

• What Price £39 up

5. Ecotex Yoga

Ecotex Yoga

Natural material mats are costly to manufacture and prohibitive to many of us. So this is a good deal. One of their aims is to make their mats affordable. They use zero plastic-packaging on their yoga mats, bricks and blocks. They ship to the US.

Ecotex recycled sticky $24

• Material PVC, 50% of which is recycled.

• Eco made fairly in Europe. oeko-tex II certified (no nasty chemicals or toxins used in the manufacture of this mat).

• How about Style 4.2mm, good grip

• Price $24 and up