Yoga Mats for Home Practice: My Top 2 Sustainable Picks
Hello and welcome back to my series on Yoga props for home practice! If we haven’t met before, my name is Nick Danu. I’m a therapeutic Yoga teacher, Yin Yoga teacher trainer, and Yoga business mentor.
I created this series to help my students navigate what they’re buying when setting up their home practice, whether that’s for Zoom classes with me or my on-demand video library. There’s often a little bit of overwhelm when you’re transitioning from studio classes to practicing at home and suddenly need to get a whole bunch of gear.
Today, we’re diving into Yoga mats.
If you want to watch rather than read scroll down
Do You Even Need a Yoga Mat?
Here’s something most people don’t tell you: you might not even need a Yoga mat at all.
If you practice mostly Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Nidra, or really gentle therapeutic stuff where you’re not doing standing flows and downward dogs, you could just put a nice cushy blanket on the floor and have at it.
Mats are good if you:
- Practice outside of your house
- Do standing poses and flows
- Want a visual reminder to practice (seeing the mat out makes us more likely to get on it!)
Why I’m Only Recommending Two Brands
Throughout this series, I haven’t mentioned specific brand names. That’s because I’m not an affiliate for any props company, and you might live anywhere in the world where certain brands aren’t available. Instead, I’ve been telling you what to look for in terms of qualities and durability.
But today is different.
I’m only going to mention two Yoga mats. Why? Because I’m one part punk rock, one part tree hugger, and sustainability is a big deal to me. Most mats out there are made with garbage chemicals, or if they are made with good quality materials, they’re made in some sweatshop somewhere. I don’t like either of those ideas.
The two I’m mentioning here are the only two I would buy myself because of what they’re made of, how they’re made, and the ethics of the companies.
My Top Pick: B Mat
B Mat is my current number one choice, and here’s why:
What I Love About B Mat:
- Made of rubber (sustainable!)
- Super smooth texture (very different from other rubber mats)
- Lasts for YEARS without drying out
- Canadian owned, woman owned company
- Naturally a little wider than standard mats
- Available in different thicknesses
I’ve had my B Mat for many years, and the studio I teach at has had theirs for years too. They just keep on trucking. There must be something in the way these are made that prevents the drying out issue you get with other rubber mats.
The Trade-offs:
- Not as many color selections as some brands
- Made in Spain (I believe), not North America
- Don’t have different widths and lengths available
- No tree-planting program that I’m aware of
Bottom line: If you want a mat that will last, this is it. It’s an investment, but you’ll have it for so long that you’ll actually save money compared to buying cheaper mats every couple years.
My Former Go-To: Jade Yoga Mats
For many years, Jade was the only mat I used. I was a total loyalist, and there’s even an old video on my channel reviewing Jade mats (terrible sound quality, but feel free to laugh at it if you want).
What I Love About Jade:
- Made of rubber (sustainable)
- Made in the United States (sweatshop-free!)
- Plants a tree for every mat sold (how cool is that?)
- Incredible selection of colors, thicknesses, lengths, and widths
- Great for customization, especially if you’re tall
The sheer variety is amazing. I used to order these for my students a few times a year, which was a great little supplement to my income and meant my students got hand-delivered really good quality mats.
My Vintage Previous Jade Yoga Mat Review
The One Big Issue:
Jade mats have a slightly porous, woven texture. Eventually, they dry out and lose their grip, long before the mat shows any other visible wear and tear. You also have to be really careful what you clean them with (stick to vinegar and water, not essential oils, or you’ll dry them out even faster).
So while I love everything else about Jade, the fact that I had to replace them every couple of years got to be a bit much. I’d have this mat in perfect shape otherwise, and suddenly it wouldn’t stick to the floor anymore. What do you do with a Yoga mat that doesn’t stick?
Note: Jade now also makes mushroom mats and cork mats, though I haven’t tried those yet.
What About Other Brands?
You’re probably thinking, “But what about [insert other brand here]?”
Look, there are other companies that make rubber mats, but most of them aren’t made in North America. Where it’s made is just as important to me as what it’s made of. If it’s made in a sweatshop abroad and shipped back to North America, there are human rights issues and environmental costs from all that shipping.
What About Cork Mats?
Lots of people ask me about cork mats. I’ll be totally honest: the only reason I don’t buy a cork mat is aesthetics. I don’t like the brown color, so I stick with my colorful options. There’s nothing wrong with cork though, and both Jade and B Mat may offer cork options.
The Reality Check: Most Mats Are Garbage
Sadly, most affordable Yoga mats out there are made of PVC and chemical grossness. Some even smell like chemicals for the first few weeks after you open them. Yuck.
In an effort to be as environmental as possible, I’m a rubber mat girl through and through.
My Final Recommendations
#1: B Mat – Lasts the longest, doesn’t dry out, great quality. This is my current top choice.
#2: Jade Yoga Mat – Amazing color selection, made in USA, plants trees, customizable sizes. The only downside is they dry out after a couple years.
Both are investments, but they’ll outlast a bunch of cheap mats. You could go through multiple cheap mats in the time you have one good quality mat.
Remember:
If you’re practicing Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, or Yoga Nidra at home on carpet or a soft surface, you might not need a mat at all. Save your money for a bolster instead!
But if you are going to invest in a Yoga mat, save up and get one that aligns with your values and will actually last.
I hope you found this helpful! Until we meet again, happy practicing.
xo
nyk
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