Cotton yoga mats are a fairly uncommon choice at this point. You will see many more studio yogis decked out with their sticky Lulu lemon or Jade yoga mats then you will with their yoga rugs. This may change in the future but at this point there are a small number of options for a cotton yoga mat let alone an organic cotton yoga mat. This will hopefully change as we as consumers continue to vote with our dollar for items and products that are beneficial for everyone involved.
Are you looking for an organic choice for a cotton yoga mat? Well unfortunately this is not an easy option to come by. There are a few organic yoga mats online but with little support from their purchasers and it is understandable as to why. The first option is New Bean Extra Large Organic Cotton Yoga mat. It looks lovely but at a price of $175 ish US, on sale, it’s a real investment. Another choice is YogaAccessories(™) Organic cotton yoga mat. This mat has really bad reviews but most having to do with the product itself in relation to the company rather then the usefulness of the product. The described product was not being delivered in most cases and therefore equaled unsatisfied customers. The good thing about this option is that it is sold for a lot less at around the $50 mark instead of $175. Big difference.
It seems that the purpose of an organic cotton mat such as these is more for comfort and softness. Many people reported purchasing them for use in their massage business or because they needed a lot of extra padding. Otherwise for a typical yoga practice this options would not really be feasible. Which brings us back to the standard cotton yoga rug or cotton mats. As unglamorous as it sounds and yoga rug or a cotton mat is truly the best choice for anyone looking to use cotton as his or her main material in a standard yoga practice.
The most popular choice on the market for organic cotton is simply a cotton yoga rug. You can find these made with certified organic cotton, and not only that but also Egyptian cotton which known worldwide to be the ultimate in cotton. This type of cotton is also fairly traded which means your conscience can rest easy in your practice too. These mats easily convert to other useful purposes when you are no longer using them in your practice, so they likely won’t end up in a land fill anytime soon. It is not the most exciting of all the options available as there is little glam or glitz or matketing around this choice, but maybe that is what makes it a good one!
If you love yoga and you love the idea of using a natural cotton yoga mat then you are definitely on the right track. Yoga rugs are breathable, comfortable and useful. They have a low environmental impact compared to other choices and are aesthetically pleasing too. The one recommendation is to look for a yoga rug/mat that is 100% organic. Cotton is one of the worst crops to contaminate our water supply and kill our lands and if you choice an option that is not contributing to this problem all the better for our water resources and mother earth.