Deep in yoga’s roots you will find suggestions of the use of natural materials for ones yoga practice. Now days this is rarely the case as we use plastic and chemical laden mats regularly in our yoga practices. This goes against the basic premise of many a yoga teaching, however it is often unnoticed. If you are interested in a natural yoga mat and natural yoga mat materials this is what to keep your eyes open for.
The most common material that you will find most common day yoga mats made out of is PVC, which works great but is basically plastic and is full of toxins. There are some other options that are still man made compounds but have more awareness and thought invested in them are PER and TPE. The first is a polymer environmental resin and the second is thermoplastic elastomer. These compounds are without harmful chemicals and off gassing as well as they are biodegradable too. The good thing about these options is that they do not cost as much as the natural options that are available but are definitely a step in the right direction.
From this point there are mats that are made from totally natural materials. The most common of natural yoga mat materials you will find are organic cotton and cotton mats, natural grass or jute fibers and rubber from renewable rubber trees. Theses are all great choices that can be used if you want a natural material that has a minimal impact on the earth. If you chose rubber as an option that will work well for you, as it gives great traction, you can also find recycled rubber mats. Contributing even further to the health and wellness of our environment.
The benefits to using a natural material are really two fold as suggested above. One is the earth impact and the other is the impact on you directly. It is believed that natural materials have properties that help to ground and connect us with the earth, as well as balance us from the inside out. Wool blankets have been used in yoga for a long time for these very reasons. When you start noticing materials at their basic level it may be difficult to detect at first. But with time you will be able to sense the subtle contrast between a natural choice and a man made choice.
As far as the environment goes, well this is obvious. If you chose a natural yoga mat materials it will be less harmful to the environment in its creation as well as less harmful in its assimilation back into the earth. As we continue to move towards more and more care of the earth and the environment we have become more aware of these things. They are also more and more of a necessary part of being an educated consumer…especially one shopping for a natural yoga mat.