Breathing is arguably one of the most important aspects of any good yoga practice.
But, what if we told you that your Pranayama could be harming you? As you work to release that toxic energy, you may be openly inviting literal toxins into your body.
Which is exactly why non-toxic yoga mats are getting a lot more airtime these days.
Cheap plastic yoga mats are loaded with phthalates, volatile organic compounds, and parabens that enter your body with each inhalation and intimate pose.
If you knew just how bad these chemicals are for your health, we’d bet getting into your flow state on your mat would be next to impossible.
So with that mind, we’ve sourced healthy alternatives from brands who care not just about safe materials and fabrics but also ethical labor and low-impact dyes.
Soon we’ll introduce our Brand Rating System, which will assess brands against a variety of sustainability-related factors, including their environmental footprint and water use. For further details on this new approach, explore our explainer.
We independently research all featured brands and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. Learn more here.
The Best Natural Yoga Mats For A Safe Stretching Sesh
Complete Unity Yoga has us rooted in our practice (quite literally, we found these mats super grippy). With earthy tones, natural rubber, and jute, each yoga mat is suitable for all styles of yoga.
Scoria’s sustainably harvested cork yoga mats have us happily threading the needle with their selection of stunning designs. Out of all the mats we’ve tested, we’re super impressed with the level of cushioning this one provides.
Index: Natural & Organic Yoga Mats
- Complete Unity Yoga ® Jump to brand
- Brentwood Home Jump to brand
- Scoria Jump to brand
- Oko Living Jump to brand
- Jade Yoga Jump to brand
- Bennd Yoga Jump to brand
- Khali Khutta Jump to brand
Complete Unity Yoga ®
About Complete Unity Yoga
Price Range: $87–$99
There’s nothing better than hitting that tree pose on one of the most affordable yoga mats made of trees.
Available in Earthy tones of forest green, space black, and eco-white, Complete Unity Yoga non-slip jute yoga mats will have you feeling grounded in more ways than one.
Whether you’re an expert yogi or new to the yoga practice, their patented CompleteGrip technology will save you from losing focus and looking silly during yoga classes.
If it isn’t the most grip you’ve experienced in a yoga mat yet (and it certainly is for us!), you can receive your money back within 30 days.
A highly unlikely scenario considering it’s been tested by two experienced yogis—not to mention ourselves.
If you like hitting your asanas on the go, try out their Jute Travel Yoga Mat. It’s lightweight and foldable, making it easy to slip into your sustainable luggage.
Complete Unity Yoga’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices:
Materials:
Their natural fiber yoga mats are made of jute fabric and sustainably harvested natural rubber.
Non-toxic and plastic free, you won’t find BPA, PU, PE, PVC, or microfibers.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Complete Unity has not released the manufacturing details for their sustainable yoga props and mats, though they claim they are ethically made.
We are reaching out for more information about what it entails.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Their mats are courtesy of a zero waste manufacturing process and plastic-free packaging from FSC-certified craft paper.
My Personal Review of Complete Unity Yoga’s Non-Slip Yoga Mat:
“Complete Unity guarantees their mats will be the most non-slip you’ve tried, or your money back. I tested their 4mm mat and was thoroughly impressed. The jute and natural rubber blend ensures it sticks firmly to the floor, and it offers unbeatable grip on top, even through the sweatiest of workouts.”
Reviews by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Brentwood Home
About Brentwood Home
Price Range: $159
Brentwood Home is home to one of the few GOTS-certified organic cotton yoga mat makers on the market.
And one of the few that follows the “wetter is better” mentality.
With moisture wicking fabric, the grip becomes better the sweatier you get, making it perfect for hot yoga sessions and sweat-inducing humble warriors, alike.
Designed with tall yogi’s in mind, the mats are slightly longer than your average yoga mat.
The best part is that they are machine washable, meaning you won’t break a sweat when it comes time for that fateful mat clean.
Available in muted cool tones, no non-toxic exercise mat gets cooler than this.
Brentwood Home’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The cotton used in their non-toxic, natural yoga mats is GOTS-certified organic and Fair Trade Certified while the natural latex is GOLS and FSC-certified.
No polyurethane foam, PVC, PER, TPE, EVA, or synthetic rubbers and adhesives are ever used.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Their natural latex is sourced from tropical regions of India and Guatemala where farmers naturally tap the trees for sap.
Organic cotton is sourced from family farmers from an unspecified area.
Some of the Brentwood Home’s products, like their eco-friendly mattresses and toppers, are made in the USA, but we’re not certain if the yoga mats are, too.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Both natural latex and organic cotton are completely biodegradable and recyclable, making them some of the most eco-friendly yoga choices.
Brentwood Home itself is a certified Carbon Neutral brand.
Scoria
About Scoria
Price Range: $89–$102
With an organic cork yoga mat from Scoria, you’ll never fret the sweat again.
Their affordable non-toxic yoga mats are both anti-slip and anti-odor, meaning you won’t be haunted by old sweat every time you bust it out (though you should still probably wear that eco-friendly deodorant).
The quirky, cork yoga mats come printed with beautiful nature-based designs incorporating butterflies, botanicals, and mandalas.
Though, you can always stick to the Standard Essentials Mat if prints are too much of a distraction.
With a courtesy cotton carry strap, the healthy and natural yoga mats are ready for any on-the-go flow.
Scoria’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
A natural rubber grip bottom and sustainably harvested cork fabric top make up their REACH-certified yoga mats.
These bonded together using heat and water-based adhesives, and printed with non-toxic, water-based inks.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Though the company is based in Canada, their manufacturing takes place all around the world.
Their natural cork is sourced from Portugal, while their natural rubber comes from Vietnam.
Assembly of each cork mat taken care of in China via trusted partners that are SGS-certified.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Their cork yoga mats come sans plastic-free packaging.
Sustainable harvesting every 9 to 12 years allows their natural cork to regenerate, and actually supports tree health.
My Personal Review of Scoria’s Blossom Cork Yoga Mat:
“I own the 4.5mm Blossom Cork Yoga Mat and love its striking botanical design. Not only is it non-toxic, but it provides more cushioning and support for the joints than any other mat I’ve tried. While I mostly practice at home, the strap is super handy for when I do decide to go out to a class.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Oko Living
About Öko Living
Price Range: $188
Öko Living has us feeling sup-herb with 20 skin soothing herbs.
Infused with 10 to 20 skin soothing herbs, these natural cotton yoga mats incorporate a little sustainable skincare into your practice.
The healthy yoga mats use an ancient practice that preserves the biomedical qualities of the plants they are being dyed with—many which are known to have stress reducing properties.
A real bang for your buck, their Chakra Energy mat is infused with herbs like Turmeric, Neem and Holy Basil, designed for full body alignment.
The antimicrobial and antifungal mats are easy to machine wash (and hang dry) as needed, especially since they already come with a carry case and wildcrafted eco-friendly laundry soap nuts.
Öko Living’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Their toxic-free yoga mats are made with hand loomed certified organic cotton and a natural tree rubber coated bottom.
Their newest and thickest 7mm Diamond Mat also features an invisible tree rubber grip top.
Free from harmful chemicals, heavy metals, PVC, BPA, and Phthalates, the organic ayurveda mat is dyed with plants and flowers.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Women empowerment is at the core of their business practices, with their women artisans receiving fair wages and safe working conditions.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Their biodegradable yoga mats come with plastic-free zero waste packaging, and climate-neutral shipping if purchased via their partner, MadeTrade.
Jade Yoga
About Jade Yoga
Price Range: $30–$150
As green as the gemstone, Jade Yoga makes safe yoga mats that give back to the earth with every purchase.
The brand ex-seeds or expectations for what a non-toxic yoga practice should look like by planting one tree with each natural rubber yoga mat sold.
With comfortable cushioning and an excellent grip, each durable organic yoga mat provides great stability.
Their best-selling Jade Harmony Yoga Mat is available in 13 colors, meaning you’re sure to find an option that matches your aura.
If you’re looking for a colorful choice made from recycled materials, their Recycled Sari Yoga Rug will have your standing asanas standing out.
Jade Yoga’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices:
Materials:
Most of their non-PVC yoga mats are made with natural rubber tapped from rubber trees.
They also have organic cotton yoga mats and handwoven dharba grass mats.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Jade’s rubber yoga mats are made in the USA in compliance with all environmental, labor, and consumer protection laws.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Operated by a former lawyer for the EPA, environmental responsibility is a priority for this brand.
Not only do they use sustainable fabrics and materials, but they also provide ideas on how to upcycle and recycle old mats.
Bennd Yoga
About Bennd Yoga
Price Range: $172
If you’re looking for a mat worth bending backwards for, Bennd Yoga has a few organic cotton yoga mats for you.
Infused with 22 different Ayurvedic medicines, their Ayurveda yoga mats are said to improve blood circulation, support digestive health, and purify blood.
You can conveniently filter between the healing properties on their website.
For example, indigo dyed mats are great for immune health, while madder root mats target endocrine health.
Since we’re big sustainable snack junkies, our go to is always the digestion boosting Harda & Turmeric Ayurvedic Mat.
No matter the choice, the only slipping you’ll be doing is into a deep meditation.
Bennd Yoga’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All of Bennd’s yoga mats and accessories are made with raw, ethically sourced and natural materials free from synthetics and harmful chemicals.
Their natural yoga mats are strictly made from ethically sourced, hand-loomed raw cotton that is finished with natural tree rubber.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Everything is hand-spun, hand-loomed, and hand-dyed by craftspeople in India, following the mind-body connection of the Gayatri Mantra.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Hitting the warrior pose, Benndy does everything they can to reduce the amount of waste their mats produce.
That means using leftover sustainable materials to create new products, leftover ash to promote healthy gardens, and leftover cuttings to create handmade organic paper.
They also compost all by-products of their plant-based sustainable dyes and use only non-virgin, biodegradable materials for packaging and shipping their mats.
Khali Khutta
About Khali Khutta
Price Range: $91–$182
Nepalese for “bare foot”, Khali Khutta produces some of the best nnatural yoga mats for eco-conscious gurus.
Setting an ex-hemp-lary model for eco-friendly yoga mats, their wild hemp mats are both chemical-free and biodegradable.
The organic hemp mats are great alternatives to toxic rubber mats, which can lead to poor asana development as you rely on a sticky mat to help stabilize positions.
While you may not be at risk of improper form, you’ll still have a pressing concern. The thick natural yoga mats are so comfortable, they might have you falling asleep in your child’s pose.
Thankfully, the vibrant Nepali colors will keep you up and energized (hopefully…)
If you have young yogis following in your footsteps, the Child’s Wild Hemp Yoga Mat may be worth checking out.
Khali Khutta’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices:
Materials:
Their mats are made with handpicked hemp fabric, cotton, wild nettle, ethical wool, and natural dyes.
All fibers are hand harvested, washed in pure Himalayan water, and hand-spun weaved and stitched into a beautiful yoga mat.
Unlike other yoga mats we’ve mentioned, this one is completely free of rubber of any kind. Instead, a good grip is created from parallel grid stitching.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Khali Khutta employs rural workers in Nepal, reducing the need of migrations into cities and thus, preserving culture.
Crafted in small batches, all items are made with extra love and care.
Why Choose A Non-Toxic Yoga Mat?
When it comes to healthy yoga practices, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) yoga mats are some of the most commonly used mats.
Ironic, considering the toxic plastic mats are also some of the worst types of plastic for your health.
According to the CDC, vinyl chloride can cause permanent liver damage, liver cancer, neurological symptoms, and changes to the skin.
Since the chemical is not biodegradable, the only way to get rid of it is to burn it. Dioxins released from burning bioaccumulate into our soils, waterways, and, eventually, bodies.
Now, you’re probably asking, “How do I know if my yoga mat is toxic?”
If your mat is ‘sticky’ and features unnaturally bright colors, chances are, it’s made of plastic (key word being unnatural).
Don’t go chucking it in the bin quite yet, however (that just adds to the problem).
You can upcycle it by using it as a non-slip underlay for your home welcome mat, or donate it to a second hand store so someone else can find a use for it.