PVC-Free Yoga Mats from Manduka, Plank and Korqmats
March 23 2009
Yoga is meant to honor your health, strengthen your body and deepen your daily life experience. When diving into our soul’s depths, then, why are most of us are still using a mat made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a non-recyclable plastic that’s a proven health hazard? The toxins created during the production of PVC, specifically dioxin, have been linked to cancer, birth defects and endocrine disorders. Not so great for shavasana.
Luckily there’s a new crop of yoga mats that are PVC free but still sticky enough to keep your feet in place during warrior. We like:
Manduka has a new line of PRO yoga mats, which are biodegradable, fair-trade and made from sustainably farmed tree rubber in an certified emissions-free process without the use of harmful substances. Instead of cutting down the tree to extract the sap, they simply tap it (kinda like maple syrup). And the rubber never, ever, comes from the Amazon.
Korqmats are made from cork, a biodegradable and sustainable material with a natural grip that absorbs pressure rather than displaces it. Cork is inherently mold, mildew, and bacteria-resistant—all excellent attributes in a mat destined for a sweaty floor. Maybe that’s where all the wine corks are going!
Benefitting Global Green with a percentage of sales,Yogamatic mats are made of completely biodegradeable, moisture- and bacteria-resistant TPE and have a closed cell structure that not only makes them softer and more supportive, but also 50% lighter than most other yoga mats. You can ecologically print your own photo on your mat (please avoid the kissy pose with Fluffy), or check out their new line in partnership with designer Jill Malek that yields mats printed with synchronized patterns of movement—birds, horses, even vegetables—that offer the perfect drishdi for the chattering mind.
