Yoga Mats - Your Ultimate Guide to Finding the Perfect Yoga Mat

Yoga mats that properly support your body are essential for your enjoyment and success with yoga asanas (postures).

Yoga mats prevent and decrease injuries that can be caused by slippery surfaces.   Yoga mats are used by anyone practicing yoga to help them create a barrier between themselves and the floor. 

Yoga mats can be purchased for as little as $20 and many studios and yoga classes will let you store your mat with them if you are a regular.

Some will even offer you a free mat to use during your sessions.

Research has not confirmed the link between unclean  yoga mats and fungal, bacterial and viral infections, plantar warts and staph infections.

Yoga mats have 4 requirements:
1.) they need to be safe,
2.) durable,
3.) comfortable, and
4.) environmental friendly.

Good Yoga mats will help you improve your balance and coordination and give you better stability and traction.

 If you are  looking for a natural, eco-friendly alternative to sticky  synthetic yoga mats which may be full of chemicals, then  consider an organic hemp, bamboo, or cotton variety of yoga mat.

Custom Yoga Mat

Mats come in a variety of custom colors and sizes, with the standard size of 24" x 68". There are also 100% hemp yoga and meditation mats made from certified organic European hemp: processed without chemicals for true purity and environmental sustainability.

BASICALLY PERFECT Yoga Mat Sling, Organic Cotton & Hemp, Self-Sanitizing, Adjustable 2 in 1 Yoga Mat Carrier / Yoga Strap / Carrying Strap

You'll love an organic hemp yoga or meditation mat if you're looking for something natural, organic, and soft during your yoga session so that you forget about your worries of synthetic or dusty carpets (many yoga studios have carpeted or synthetic and dusty flooring).

Rolled up, the yoga mat makes a great pillow and also a lower back support.  We've found that mats are also good for the second (mat to lie on) and third (folded up for knee support) of the Five Tibetan Rejuvenation Rites since bare floors can be very hard on your knees.

Yoga Mat Products

There are half a dozen type of yoga-mat wipes available, and new products like hand and foot mitts will protect yoga mat borrowers.

100% Natural & Organic Yoga Mat Cleaner, SAFE FOR ALL MATS, No Sticky Or Slimy Residue - Cleans, Restores, Refreshes + FREE Microfiber Cleaning Towel Included

Though, you should keep in mind that it has not been proven that you can 'catch' a virus, fungus or other bacteria from another person's yoga mat, you will still probably want to purchase your own, as it will become personal to you, and you will be able to maintain it and know that it is your very own.

Meditation Mats

A hand-woven yoga mat is best if you want to do gentle yoga, meditation or relaxation. A comfortable bamboo meditation bench with rounded leg bottoms is also suitable for long meditations.

Yogasana Handmade Premium 72-Inch Thick Cotton Yoga Mat/Rug, X-Long

For complete yoga that includes exercises, meditation, breathing (pranayama) and relaxation, sticky mats should not be used. For a sitting meditation, you may want to fold the mat two or three times so that you have a thicker cushion under you while you sit. 

Rolled up, the hemp yoga and meditation mats make a great pillow and lower back support too.

Cotton Yoga Mats

Yoga mats are made of cotton, jute, rubber, rug and synthetic materials.  A 100% cotton yoga mat rug for your practice may be best if you have allergic reactions to other materials, or just wish a softer, more cushier mat.

Cotton Yoga Rug

An all natural zabuton mat is handmade from chemical- free green cotton. A long lasting filler for pillows is organic buckwheat hulls as it conforms to your body's shape and is usually wrapped in a organic cotton twill shell with a hidden zipper carry handle.

Natural Yoga Mats

The original eco yoga mat is  made with all-natural rubber and jute fiber and is excellent for any consistent practice of yoga.

Its rubber underside grips  the floor and the jute fabric/rubber mix on top offers superb traction and a highly durable, tactile and pleasantly natural surface to practice on.

Eco Yoga Mats

Selecting an eco yoga mat is a perfect choice as you pose your way to enlightenment and inner peace in your yoga practice.

Even a carpet can potentially become slippery and cause  an injury, especially in a more complicated pose.

Non Slip Yoga Mat by Farland - Eco Friendly TPE Workout Exercise Mat,Anti-tear Hot Pilates Pad Mats in Home & Gym - 6mm Thick

After extensive research, I believe that the ecoYoga mat is currently the greenest  option available for those who wish to practice on a sticky mat.  Better still, you may want to show a little eco enlightenment at your next yoga class with a PVC-free mat.

In the past, we've given you a few  options regarding eco-sensitive yoga mats: the Harmony Rubber Yoga Mat, and Eco Mats by Eco Yoga.


Yoga Mat Essentials

Yoga mats can be purchased for as little as $20, and many studios let you store your mat with them.  Yoga mats are handy, safe and comfortable for yoga practice.

BalanceFrom GoYoga All-Purpose 1/2-Inch Extra Thick High Density Anti-Tear Exercise Yoga Mat with Carrying Strap

The standard size of 24" x 68.  Yoga mats provide ideal base  for  practicing yoga safely and comfortably.  There are some yoga mats that are not made of PVC, which is considered to be the most toxic of all plastics, and is found in more than 90% of today's sticky mats.

Alternative materials such as hemp, cotton, bamboo and other materials can be used instead of PVC when you are looking for a more organic or chemical-free experience, or simply to prevent allergic reactions.


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