What Other Yoga Mat Companies Are Not Telling You

What if I told you that the yoga mat you have grown to love and roll out for your yoga sessions is doing more harm than good? Would you still use it? Chances are, probably not.

With more than thousands of options and colors of yoga mats, it is difficult to look beyond the surface. I invite you to this conversation where I will break down some knowledge on Öko Living’s chemical-free yoga mats vs. their toxic competitors.

The Secrets of Conventional Yoga Mats

Most yoga mats are made with PVC or polyvinyl chloride, an anti-slip material that helps you achieve and maintain challenging yoga poses. The problem with polyvinyl chloride is the amount of damage it causes to our bodies and our environment.

This toxic material emits carcinogenic byproducts and dioxins, which have been linked and studied to cause infertility, immune system damage, hormone disruption, cancer, and many other harmful effects. 

As we practice on these toxic mats, they begin to leach and off-gas dangerous chemicals like phthalates, lead, and cadmium. We are exposing ourselves to these toxins and dermally absorbing them through the palms of our hands and the soles of our feet. Yikes!

Your mat should be non-toxic and eco-friendly to promote a healthy and safe environment for you to hone your yoga skills or even practice asanas and pranayamas without breathing in harmful fumes.

Meet Your New Nontoxic BFF

My Öko Living mat has been literally giving me life! Not only are all their mats eco-friendly and biodegradable, but they are also ethically hand-loomed using organic cotton and dyed using Ayurvedic medicinal plants. The term that defines dying textiles with herbs is called Ayurvastra. Ayurvastra is a branch of Ayurveda, an ancient 5,000-year-old Indian system of Vedic healthcare that believes in living holistically in order to achieve and maintain health for a long and happy life.

All of Öko Living’s mats are naturally dyed with 20 skin-soothing herbs, like Turmeric, Neem, and Holy Basil. The blend of medicinal herbs helps to reduce Inflammation, promote balance throughout the entire body, and is naturally Antibacterial and Antimicrobial.

And it gets better! These mats are sweat and slip-resistant, lightweight, and machine-washable.

Back To Basics

As someone who studies Ayurveda and lives an Ayurvedic lifestyle, I see and implore the importance of doing right by the body that nourishes us daily. Using my nontoxic yoga mat allows me to come back to myself and harness the energy within.

I put this mat to the test on my last hike, and whether it was grass, cement, or the parking lot, this mat rocked it! I felt even better knowing that my mat was actually good for me.

The day we traded traditions that involved natural material sourcing and herbal dyes for chemically made compounds and disease-filled products was the day that changed our individual constitution. It is our rightful duty to make the choices that best reflect the ways we wish to live.

Nicole (she/her)

Ayurvedic Practitioner – Herbalist

@livingasnicole