7 Non-Toxic Yoga Mats To Naturally Detox Your Body & Mind
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.
Cheap plastic yoga mats are loaded with phthalates, volatile organic compounds, and parabens that are welcomed into your body with each inhalation and intimate pose.
If you knew just how bad these chemicals are for your health, we don’t imagine you’d be able to reach that flow state on your mat.
Consider inviting these non-toxic yoga mats into your next practice and cutting toxicity out of your life once and for all.
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The Best Organic & Natural Yoga Mats For A Safe Stretching Sesh
Complete Unity Yoga has us rooted in our practice, with earthy tones and sustainable materials that makes each natural rubber and jute yoga mat suitable for all styles of yoga.
Brentwood Home’s organic cotton yoga mat has us happily threading the needle with one of the few GOTS-certified yoga mats on the mindful market.
We’re not professional yogis, but we are gurus when it comes to safer, more sustainable living, so if you want to know more about our definition of safe yoga mats, walk your feet or hop to the bottom of the article.
The Best Organic Yoga Mats
- Complete Unity Yoga | Visit Store
- Brentwood Home | Visit Store
- Scoria | Visit Store
- Öko Living | Visit Store
- Jade | Visit Store
- Bennd Yoga | Visit Store
- Khali Khutta | Visit Store
1. 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 non-toxic 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 themselves—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 in the still cheap yoga mat.
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 natural yoga mats are courtesy of a zero waste manufacturing process and plastic-free packaging from FSC-certified craft paper.
Community & charitable giving:Part of their proceeds are donated to Helping Hands for India, an organization that provides free education to children in rural India.
2. 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 best eco friendly yoga choices.
Brentwood Home itself is a certified Carbon Neutral brand.
Community & charitable giving:
The brand has supplied mattresses to the Salvation Army and Houston’s Children Charity to assist in hurricane relief efforts.
3. 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.
We own one and love that not only is this extra thick yoga mat non-toxic, but it provides more cushioning and support for the joints than any other mat we’ve tried.
Scoria’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
A natural rubber grip bottom and sustainably harvested cork fabric top make up their REACH-certified natural material 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 eco-friendly yoga mat 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 natural 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.
Community & charitable giving:
Partnering with Right To Play, a portion of their proceeds go towards safe education for Indigenous youth.
4. Öko 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, non-toxic 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 organic biodegradable yoga mats come with plastic-free zero waste packaging, and climate-neutral shipping if purchased via their partner, MadeTrade.
Community & charitable giving:
Though they don’t have any current partnerships, you can donate a warm meal to their artisans.
5. Jade Yoga
About Jade Yoga
Price Range: $30–$150
As green as the gemstone, Jade Yoga makes safe, non-toxic 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 natural 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.
Community & charitable giving:In partnership with Trees For The Future, they plant a tree for every Jade yoga mat purchased. So far, over 2 million trees have been planted.
6. Bendd Yoga
About Bennd Yoga
Price Range: $172
If you’re looking for a non-toxic yoga mat worth bending backwards for, Bennd Yoga has a few organic cotton yoga mats for you.
Infused with 22 different Ayurvedic medicines, their organic 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.
Bendd Yoga’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All of Bendd’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 zero waste warrior pose, Bendy 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 eco-friendly mats.
7. Khali Khutta
About Khali Khutta
Price Range: $91–$182
Nepalese for “bare foot”, Khali Khutta produces some of the best non-toxic 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.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The driving force behind their yoga mats is the goal to be zero waste.
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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.
How We Chose The Best Natural Yoga Mats
So, what is a non-toxic yoga mat? And how do you know you’re not about to get cozy in child’s pose atop a cohort of toxic chemicals?
For example, are Lululemon yoga mats non-toxic?
(Not really. While some now contain a 55% FSC-certified natural rubber backing, the top layer you’re actually exposed to is made of polyurethane, polyester, and nylon. Not as dangerous as a PVC yoga mat, but still not ideal).
To get to the root chakra of those questions, we turned to our sustainable fashion guidelines.
And the good news is that an eco-friendly yoga mat that’s safer for the planet typically happens to be one that’s safer for you, too.
Materials:
In the world of greenwashing, we really have to keep an eye out for false claims.
Especially when it comes to non-toxic products.
Many seemingly “non-toxic” yoga mat materials are simply just synthetic rubber, sometimes still blended with other synthetic fabrics. Slightly better than PVC plastics, but almost equally bad. Namely:
- PER (polymer environmental resin)
- TPE (thermoplastic elastomer)
- Eve (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate)
So, what is the healthiest material for a yoga mat?
Known for its great grip, most yoga mats incorporate natural rubber in some aspect, whether it be a natural rubber backing or natural rubber yoga mat base.
We love it because trees don’t have to be cut down to obtain it. The rubber can simply be tapped like maple syrup.
Natural cork, jute, organic cotton are some of our other favorite non-toxic yoga mat materials used.
- Certifications: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Supply chain & labor practices:
Yoga is all about experiencing and sharing love.
Love for yourself, love for your planet, and love for others around you.
That’s why we look for brands that show love to their workers with fair wages and safe working conditions, at the very least.
- Certifications: Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), fair trade
Carbon commitments & green practices:
A non-toxic yoga mat and a sustainable one go together like a cat and cow pose; even though you can have one without the other, it’s best to have both.
For example, an organic cotton yoga mat is a sustainable yoga mat by nature, but we are looking for brands that go beyond just materials.
Environmental impact was a serious consideration, taking into account carbon offsets, waste management, and conscious packaging.
Community & charitable giving:
A good yoga mat is one that does good for others.
Brands that give back keep the great vibrations going around.
Final Thoughts On Non-Toxic Yoga Mats
Whether you’re working on mindfulness and meditation or nailing that crow pose, one thing remains true: a toxic yoga mat does no justice.
Clear those anxious thoughts with a Balasana that won’t bring looming health concerns into your life.
Now that you’ve been enlightened on where to get the best non-toxic yoga mat, it’s time to throw on those sustainable yoga clothes and start your practice!
Or, just throw them on and nama-stay in bed because sometimes that’s what our bodies need.
Whether you’re hitting your safe yoga mat for hot yoga or your sustainable bedding after this, share this article with your friends from yoga class so they, too, can have chemical-free chakras.
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