Eco friendly yoga mats
Eco friendly yoga mats are the best choice for a yoga practice that’s healthy for your body and safe for the environment.
If you’re considering to buy or you’re looking for the best eco friendly yoga mats, here’s a quick look on the top eco – friendly yoga mats and a side by side comparison of their features.
| Thickness | Dimension (Width / Length) | Weight | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4.86 mm | 26 x 74 | 4.5 lbs | $40 - $85 |
 | 5 mm | 26 x 71 inches | 6 lbs | $63 - $100 |
 | 4 mm | 30 x 78 inches | 8.8 lbs | $90 |
If you need a more in – depth review of the yoga mats, click on the links below:
If you need more information about eco yoga mats and how they can be good for your practice, below are the What, Why and How to help you decide which mat is the best for you.
What are eco friendly yoga mats?
Eco friendly yoga mats are made of natural rubber from rubber trees. They are free from polyvinyl chloride or PVC, plastic chemicals and any other harmful substances usually used to produce conventional PVC yoga mats.
Since they are made with earth friendly materials, eco friendly yoga mats don’t become environment pollutants after they are disposed because they are completely biodegradable.
Due to the special nature of these mats, eco yoga mats are often pricier than plastic mats with prices ranging from $50 – $100.
Most also give off that rubbery smell during initial use but this often fades away after the break in period.
Why should you use eco friendly yoga mats?
Most eco friendly yoga mats are built to be comfortable, sticky and durable. Some eco yoga mats also come in longer, wider and thicker varieties.
But the most important reason you need to use eco friendly yoga mats is they are safer to your health. Here are a few things you need to know about PVC mats:
- Polyvinyl chloride is the worst kind of plastic because it requires mixing with a host of harmful substances to be useful.
- It’s often mixed with lead, cadmium, pthalate and dioxin that can cause damage to your brain, your reproductive organs, and your immune system.
- Dioxin is known to cause cancer.
Click here to read a comparison of PVC and eco friendly yoga mats >>
How to choose an eco friendly yoga mat?
It’s always best to examine your choices before you buy an eco friendly yoga mat. Since they are pricier than conventional mats, eco yoga mats become an investment both for your health and the environment.
What yoga mat you need to buy depends on what your body needs during a yoga practice, the kind of yoga you practice and your lifestyle.
Among the factors to consider are cushion (thickness), space (dimension), and grip (stickiness). You may also want to check the mat’s weight and size if you need to transport your yoga mat or you have small storage space.
Of course, you also need to consider how much you are willing to spend on a yoga mat. There are mid-range eco friendly yoga mats for those on a budget and premium eco friendly yoga mats for those who can afford to invest.
Click here to read more about choosing an eco friendly yoga mat >>
Top eco friendly yoga mats
Here is a brief overview of the top eco friendly yoga mats available in the market. If you want to know more about each mat, be sure to click on the link for the full review.
Manduka eKO
If cushion is one of your major considerations, the Manduka eKO is the thickest among the yoga mats. It is 5 mm thick and it has a closed cell durable surface for added comfort. It also has a seagrass texture to make the mat slip – free.
Though it follows the standard width of 26 inches, the Manduka eKO is longer than the standard mats with its 71 inch length.
Click here to read the full review of the Manduka eKo >>
Jade Yoga Mat
If you sweat a lot during yoga practice, the Jade Yoga Mat may be a good match for you. It’s more absorbent because it’s structured with an open cell surface. The mat also helps you maintain steadier footing because it’s also sticky and quite spongy.
The Jade Yoga Mat comes in the standard 24 x 68 size and a longer one that measures 24 x 74. It’s also a bit thick with a 4.8 mm width.
Click here to read the full review of the Jade Yoga Mat >>
Prana Yoga Mat
Dubbed as the “Ferrari” of all yoga mats, the Prana Yoga Mat is the widest and longest among all yoga mats. It measures 30 inches wide and 78 inches long making it ideal for taller yogis or those who just need more space to practice.
The mat is also made with three layers of natural rubber making it sturdy and durable. Being a premium yoga mat, the Prana Yoga Mat is also the most pricey at $90.
Click here to read a full review of the Prana Yoga Mat >>
Using any of these eco friendly yoga mats will always be better than using one made of PVC. This is is just one way you can practice yoga in ahimsa – a way that’s kind to the environment and healthy for your body.
Namaste