5 of the Best Sustainable Yoga Mats | Yoga mat review

[@dianaramirez9544]

Thanks for the video, I remember that I watched your videos when I was looking for my Yoga Mat and I choose an Eko from Manduka. It's absolutely fantastic.

[@ichriscrabtree]

Have you tried the Oko Living or Ma Woven yoga rugs? They look interesting but I’m not sure they’d be good for vinyasa yoga.

[@SarahJE11]

Great video, very helpful as always. Thank you :)

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Happy to hear you found it helpful :-)

[@caseyalanjones]

I have used yoga mats in the past, but now I just practice on my floor. I do feel that a mat can help slightly, but the benefit to me just doesn't seem worth the trouble. I can remember some times in my life when I procrastinated yoga until I could buy a mat, or might not have practiced when I wanted to because I had left it at home. Realizing that I don't actually need one at all is liberating for me. I view them now as props akin to blocks, which can be helpful but aren't always needed. And I think that perhaps more people should consider this, because the principle of degrowth tells us that the most sustainable path is to reduce our consumption.

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Yes if not having the best mat becomes an obstacle to practice then yes! Go for the floor. In some practices the floor can be enough and so if you’ve found what works for you then that’s great :-)

[@seechangenyc280]

Thank you so much for doing another mat series. So agree with your reviews! I'm sticking with the Jade Harmony. I feel super stable. I changed out my mat at about a year (maybe 9 months. I felt it was losing grip and because I was dragging my feet, due to lack of core strength, I killed it (I was practicing Vinyasa three times a day). I should mention that because I am allergic to essential oils, Jade provided a great cleaning method: 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar. You were very right about the B Mat (mentioned in a previous video): you aren't going anywhere and while that's great, it also makes it sooooo hard to slide into poses (it's so sticky, I sprained two toes moving my foot to the top of the mat - twice. I like the feel of the surface. I like 6" but I am too - or my toes are too - afraid to use it again. It is less spongy than Jade. On Jade, too, it can be a hard to slide into poses. The eKo, nope. Jute, nope. Cotton, nope (though I am a fan of Jade's cotton mats which I use for extra support of my knees, belly, and a lift while sitting). I just don't have the core strength and it moves around too much. If you ever do another series, I would be interested in the Para Rubber Mat from Hugger Mugger and Yogi Bare (which is too thin for me at 4") and Alo Warrior (which is only rubber on the bottom. Seems most like a Lululemon mat). Again, many thanks!

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Thank you for detailed reply! I think the most important thing is to find a yoga mat that works for you. Jade really is a great mat so I’m happy you been enjoying yours. The Alo mat is next on my list, so hopefully there’ll be a review soon :-)

[@seechangenyc280]

@@AlexiaKYoga yay! And check out (for us) Yogi Bare (designed by yogi. Supposed to be similar to Liforme but less costly). Yoga by Adriennne, the most popular KZbin yoga teacher, is launching a new mat with Manduka on August 31. I’m very curious about it as many of her classes are aimed at beginners (who might lean to more cushioning and grip). The mat with the best grip, kind on knees and great glide seems elusive.

[@donnietucker2005]

Very interesting, thanks Alexia!

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Happy you found it interesting Donnie! Hope all is well :-)

[@donnietucker2005]

@@AlexiaKYoga yes doing good here, hope your are too. Thanks for all you do!!

[@rote_universe]

Thank you so much for this review! I was in the market for a new mat and have now ordered the BYoga mat, very exciting! I have a question: when transporting a yoga mat, do you recommend using a carrier strap or a bag? I like that a carrier strap is light but I’m afraid of damaging the mat when it’s not protected when travelling.

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Hi Kim! Happy to have helped! Ok so I know many people love straps, however I always prefer yoga mat bags, just to be sure I’m protecting my mat and keeping it clean. But of course it’s personal preference :-)

[@tzk121]

Hi Alexia...does the $10 Maduka charge cover shipping the old mat back for them to recycle or do we also pay a return cost to ship back on top of the $10?

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Good question! Ok I just checked and this is what their website says: “Add the LiveOn Program kit to your cart when purchasing your new Manduka mat. When your new mat arrives, place your old mat in the box and attach the included prepaid shipping label. (Please note: we'll accept ANY brand of yoga mat.)”

[@tzk121]

@@AlexiaKYoga ok, thank you

[@svetlanakhachatryan6588]

Dearest Alexia, LOVE your videos. I've been looking at yoga mats and I really want to purchase a cotton yoga mat. I was wondering if you have tried the Oko Living mats and if you have an opinion about them? Thank you !

[@markfitness3063]

🙏 namaste I enjoyed your mat review . I like you have said in previous posts stated the manduka black mat pro is your mat of choice yup I know it’s heavy but for me that’s fine . However ref eco and just coming away a bit from the materials . That considered I sense the manduka black mat pro should be in there from the perspective of a lifetime warranty it’s that one stop mat . I’ve had two of these a black one which has been everywhere with me India 🇮🇳 the 🇺🇸 countless workshops and teachings and it’s amazing eco from the west and tear point of you . I just recently bought my favourite black mat pro in my fav colour black sage , green , . No I’m not rich I sold out an xl black mat pro to a friend and it financed my new one and it’s purely coz I connect with the colour green . Just thought I’d mention this oh I also use a cotton mat on and off the benefits for correct weight distribution in practice is excellent as opposed to slipping and sliding . Keep the wonderful videos coming . Love em 🙏🕉

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Hi Mark! Yes I completely agree! I love my Manduka pro that I’ve had for 11 years and it’s still great. I debated whether I should add it to this video, given that the Manduka Pro is PVC (a type of plastic). In the end I decided to stick to mats made of sustainable materials that are biodegradable. I’d love to one day do a little research into the actual environmental impact from having just 1 PVC yoga mat vs having 5 or 10 eco mats over a lifetime.

[@markfitness3063]

@@AlexiaKYoga thanks for the reply and yup that would be a good and interesting topic ref the research on eco as opposed to the longevity of pvc . As always keep those posts coming , love em 🙏🕉

[@yeong5haeng]

Hi Alexia usually how long do rubber yoga mats last? Do they become uneven overtime like TPE mats?

[@AlexiaKYoga]

Good question! Mine so far seem to last 2-3 years. It depends on the type of yoga you practice and also how often you practice. You’ll see bits of it coming off over time.