According to a survey last year consumers spend over $5 billion on buys on yoga classes and equipment. The large amount of money to be made in this business has resulted in many different types of eco friendly yoga mats being produced. How eco friendly are these yoga mats?

What makes an eco friendly yoga mat and how do you care for it?

Given that eco friendly means excellent on the environment, you would expect your yoga mat not to contain PVC (polyvinyl chlorides) plastic, which contains such things as cadmium, heavy metals and lead. These elements have been linked to hormone disruption. Exposure should be limited for these elements though.

In the U.S. there have been bans and restrictions placed on the use of PVC in manufacturing plastic products and it would grow other countries are following this practice.

So what are the alternatives to give you an eco-friendly yoga mat?

* Untreated Rubber

Untreated rubber is renewable resource, and is eco friendly because it is bio-degradable. There is one downside for some people, it can cause an allergic reaction. Check with your doctor if you reflect you may be at risk. For persons allergic to untreated rubber there is an alternative, a synthetic, latex free rubber mat.

Check with your local retailer or online but prices tend to range from $30 for rubber mats to $50 for a combination of both untreated rubber and synthetic materials.

* Sow fibre mats.

What makes up sow fibre mats? Cotton, jute and hemp. Over again , really renewable and biodegradable because the are made from plants. If eco friendly is what you are wanting to invest in, then look for the mark , certified organic. There is no way of telling how they were produced unless they involve a mark that tells you this. To use cotton as an example, it a crop that requires a lot of pesticide to control insects.

These sow fibre mats usually start around the $40 mark but over Over again check with your local retailer or online.

* Synthetic Alternative

As a synthetic alternative for your eco friendly yoga mat, there are two types that are being used to make yoga mats. The eco friendly polymer environmental resin, ‘PER’ and thermoplastic elastomers, ‘TPE’. So if you are looking for the alternative these, are claimed not to contain toxic materials. The best of the two synthetics would have to be polymer environment resin, as unlike it’s counter-part, TPE, it is biodegradable. This in rank would need to be investigated further to validate their claim.

These yoga mats start around the $24 mark and can go for as much as $50 depending on which combination of materials that the mat is made up of, you choose.

What things should you consider in making your choice?

Consider your wants and base your choice around that. You need one that suits you. How will you be transporting it. Will you be walking or taking transport?

Portablility:  The eco friendly, untreated rubber mats are quite weighty and not simple to involve where as the lighter weight, travel mat, is shorter and simpler to handle.

Dimensions: You need to buy a mat based on your height. They usually come in two sizes, the longer 72 inch and the shorter 68 inch.
Thickness: Mats come in variable thickness’. Your comfort is vital , so choose one that suits. Stickiness:

Stickiness: Mats come in variable degrees of stickiness, so over Over again choose one that will suit your wants best.

Care of your eco friendly yoga mat:

This is vital because as the mat ages from use, it can develop cracks and wrinkles where the dirt and moisture will collect. There should be directions that come with the mat on it’s care but use of these tips as well:

Mild soapy water and a sponge to wipe it down with use. Make sure that it is fully dry before rolling it up.

You may possibly also invest in a spray cleaner. There should be one that will fit with the eco-friendly theme. Give it some time in the fresh air, but out of direct sunlight.

Fixed airing of your mat will make it more pleasant for you and your fellow class mates.

Use your own:  While it is excellent to have a mat to use at home it is also excellent to be able to take it to your class. This saves you using one that you don’t know how it has been cared for. It also prevents you from picking up such things as athletes foot and warts, if you do yoga in bare feet.

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