Organic Yoga Mats

Organic Yoga Mats – Many experts feel there is a real advantage to be gained from practicing yoga from the comfort of a completely natural yoga mat. Though the man made or synthetic mats are no doubt light comfortable, and easy to clean, using a mat made from PVC or some form of polyvinyl, cannot claim to be “organic”. A good definition of an organic yoga mat, is a mat that has been manufactured without using chemical dyes, pesticides, or fertilizers. This is different from the definition of a natural yoga mat, which is all about the sources of the materials used to make it, meaning coming from plant or animal. It does not cover the manufacturing process, which may use chemicals along the way.

This ambiguity in organic yoga mat definitions extends around the world, with different parties claiming different values. So if you have definite requirements, it pays to pay close attention to the product materials and manufacturing process. Of the many materials that have been claimed as organic, we have cotton, hemp, jute, and natural latex, or natural rubber as it is also known. However some people are allergic to latex products and therefore should avoid these mats.

Hemp organic yoga mats are not ideal for use on smooth surfaces, but is commonly used to cover other “sticky” yoga mats that may be organic, or made from biodegradable materials such as thermoplastic polymer or TPE. If you practice vigorous yoga, where you may be prone to sweating, the weaves in jute may be a good material, as it will help prevent slipping.

As you would imagine cotton is a leading material for manufacture of organic yoga mats. A flexible and natural material cotton and combined with wool batting, can be used to make thick yoga mats, offering more comfort. If you are practicing some type of therapeutic yoga this type of organic yoga mat is an ideal option.

In terms of cost, this attention to detail, and avoidance of cheaper less eco-friendly manufacturing techniques, means that organic yoga mats can be considerably more expensive that the mass produced PVC mats. Anywhere between $40 -100 dollars for a premium branded yoga mat.

Amazon.com Widgets

Whichever form of yoga mat you choose, I wish you all the best of yoga experiences.

Thanks for visiting us.

Other useful yoga resources

Wikipedia yoga

Yoga Journal